Kingdom Come
by uh-non-uh-muhs
Summary: What do you give the man who has everything? The nations of the world are not above bribery. If it means gaining the favor of the ambassador of the most advanced civilization to visit Earth, they are not above much of anything. The pursuit of global domination will affect every citizen of the world. None more than the president's new secretary, who is about to be gift wrapped.
1. The Fallen Spark

**Chapter One**

_**The Fallen Spark**_

_"Words are only painted fire; a look is the fire itself." _

_- Mark Twain_

She hurried down the hallway, stumbling occasionally in the unfamiliar heels, while she tried to keep up with Agent Jackson. He seemed to be trying to break a land speed record. The immaculate setting, something she had only seen in pictures and video, played a large part in distracting her from the curious stares and disapproving glances of the people she passed. The new pantsuit, certainly not her idea, chafed skin that had not seen anything more demanding than jeans and t-shirts in twenty-five years of life.

She staggered to a halt, as the impassive agent stopped outside the doorway and stood at attention. He quickly took in her appearance. She looked down at herself. Her shirt had come partially untucked, the toe of her right shoe was scuffed, and she could feel pieces of her neat chignon falling. She quickly raised her hands to fiddle with the pens, attempting to get her hair back into something resembling the original bun. From the agent's gaze, she could tell she had failed.

He did not comment, but the flat line of his mouth became flatter. She suddenly noticed the two guards standing on either side of the door, so unobtrusive they were almost invisible. Both of them eyed her carefully, as if trying to decide if she was a threat. After about five seconds, they clearly decided she was either lost or below their notice. She was fine with that.

When she looked back at Agent Jackson, he was tapping at the iPad in his hands. He completely ignored her presence until he finished what he was doing, looking up to pin her with a hard look.

"He's ready for you."

Her stomach clenched, but she gave him a quick nod. She glanced at the nearby desk to see the woman openly staring at her, as if she were some kind of strange creature not often seen in the area. She supposed she was. Her fingers twisted into the fabric of her dress pants, as another twinge of being completely out of her element hit her.

If the agent noticed her fidgeting, he said nothing. His sharp gray eyes gave her another quick once over, before he turned to give one of the guards a nod. In a moment that was almost too surreal, Agent Jackson jerked his head towards the doorway. She knew a silent order when she saw one. She hurried towards the door, trying not to shuffle.

She hovered in the doorway, feeling every eye on her, and fought the urge to turn back. Taking a deep breath, she raised her head and stepped into the Oval Office. It was exactly like every picture she had ever seen, every movie she had ever watched. Her eyes wandered over the familiar furnishings, taking in her nation's history and feeling infinitely small. Someone cleared their throat off to her right and she jerked her head around to look. Pure and simple mortification brought a blush to her cheeks, as she realized none other than the President of United States was watching her with a look between amusement and impatience.

She froze, eyes wide. The appearance of an iPad at her elbow caused her to jerk violently. She quickly took it from him, holding it against her chest with both hands, more for comfort than necessity. She glanced over her shoulder to see Agent Jackson walking from the room, pulling the door closed behind him with a note of finality.

She forced a small smile and walked further into the room. It was not until she stood at the end of the sofa, facing the President, that she noticed the silent figure sitting opposite him. She only caught a glimpse of the side of his face before the President began to speak, drawing all of her attention.

"Ms. Ashley, thank you for joining us. We were just about to begin." He gave the man across from him a polite nod. "Prince Edric, this is my administrative assistant, Abigail Ashley."

She turned her head to look at the man and stared. She was sure her eyes were far too wide, but she could not seem to look away or blink. She was vaguely aware of the President's voice speaking from off to her right, but it seemed vague and muffled.

Pitch black hair fell forward over the prince's forehead and curled against the collar of a perfectly cut black suit. His strong jaw was visibly clenched, as if he were grinding his teeth, and what appeared to be an extremely kissable mouth was pressed into a flat line. After her eyes wandered to broad shoulders, a small movement from him made her gaze rise to his face, again.

He was staring at her intensely, and she almost gasped at the color of his eyes. The same turquoise of the Caribbean sea, their beauty took her breath away. Their eyes met for less than a second, before he looked away, leaving her to try to make sense of the wealth of emotions she had glimpsed in his gaze. She mentally shook herself.

Prince Edric was by far the most beautiful man she had ever seen. This was not good, at all. As soon as her mind formed the thought, she jerked her head back to look at the President. He continued to speak as if he had not noticed her lapse in attention, most of his words aimed at the other man. For his part, the prince simply nodded silently, staring at the president.

"Okay, let's get started. Prince Edric, is there anything you need before we get started? Refreshments?"

"No. Thank you."

Abby fought the urge to shiver. His voice sounded as good as he looked. Deep, with an odd cadence that made his speech almost melodic. She licked her lips and gripped the iPad tighter. She told herself not to look in his direction, but her eyes wandered that way, landing on his hands where they lay on his thighs.

Kicking herself, she could not help but admire his wide palms and long fingers. Which brought her attention to his muscular legs, clearly outlined by the fabric of his trousers. She jerked her eyes away, just before the President turned his head to look at her.

"Miss Ashley, would you please be seated?" He gestured to the end of the sofa he sat on.

She hurried over to sit down, praying she did not trip in the new heels. As she placed the iPad in her lap, her thumbs left wet marks on the edge of the screen. She willed her hands not to shake. She had to take notes, surely she could handle that.

"Are you ready, Miss Ashley?"

She sent the President what she hoped was a bright smile. "Yes, sir. Please continue." Before she could congratulate herself on sounding eloquent, she felt the Prince's eyes on her. "I'll just, um, take notes?" She mentally cringed, and squeaked out a quick, "Sir."

He stared at her for a moment, before her turned his head to look at the prince. "Prince Edric, shall we begin with introductions?"

"Of course."

Abby stared hard at the on-screen keyboard to keep from looking up at him. His put-upon tone did not match the accommodating words. The President seemed to have decided to ignore the inconsistency.

"Do you mind getting us started?" the President asked in a friendly tone.

She could not decide if he was being honest or if he was trying to draw the uncommunicative prince out of his shell. She mentally shrugged, catching the prince's nod from beneath her eyelashes. She braced herself for his voice before he began to speak, watching him raise his chin and fasten an openly challenging gaze on the President.

"I am Ambassador of the Ghadrik, High Prince of the Fourth Realm, and Champion of Her Majesty, The Queen."

Abby felt her eyebrows climbing her forehead and it was all she could do not to look at him and see what expression went along with the haughty tone. She continued to tap on the screen in front of her, even after she had finished typing his words. It gave her hands something to do and kept her eyes from straying.

The President cleared his throat and began to speak. "Though I was not born to royalty," he paused to let his tone sink in, "I am President of the United States, a great nation built on democracy."

Abby internally winced at the implied insult. She chanced a quick glance at the Prince. His eyes had narrowed dangerously.

"How nice for you."

She did not have to be an actual political secretary to know the meet and greet was not going well. She gave up all pretence of writing and looked back and forth between the two men glaring at each other.

"Um, sir?" Both of them turned their heads to look at her and she bit back an undignified squeak. "Could we take a short break? I forgot to bring my voice recorder." She gave the President what she hoped was an apologetic smile. "It's still in Agent Jackson's suit jacket."

It took him less than a second to understand what she was saying. He gave her a small smile. "Of course, Miss Ashley." He looked back at the prince. "Do you mind if we take a short break?"

Abby turned her head in time to see the Prince watching her. He looked away.

"That is satisfactory."

She walked out of the Oval Office like the room was on fire, leaving the iPad on the couch where she had been sitting and fleeing the tense atmosphere. She hurried down the hallway, barely aware of the eyes watching her. As she speed walked toward the office Agent Jackson had been using earlier in the day, she forcibly kept her mind from thinking of the prince. It was remarkably difficult.

She swung around the corner outside the office and careened into another agent. Her weak grasp on her balance failed her and her arms pinwheeled as she fell off her heels and tumbled to the office floor with a solid thud.

"Miss Ashley," Agent Jackson's voice drawled from somewhere above her.

She winced at what was bound to be a bruise, but climbed to her feet. "I need the voice recorder," she explained.

"Is the meeting going well?" he asked as he pulled the plastic, USB device from his pocket. He held it out to her, but did not let go when she reached for it.

She looked up to meet his cold gaze. "Not exactly."

He raised one thick eyebrow. "Why is that?"

She opened her mouth, then quickly closed it when he frowned at her. Swallowing hard, she said, "The Ambassador doesn't seem to be in a very good mood."

When his lips pressed into a flat line, she jerked her eyes away to look at anything but him. "Not in a good mood?"

"Um."

He released the voice recorder so suddenly, she almost stumbled. "Then, put him in a good mood."

"Right." At his deepening frown, she added, "I'll do what I can."

"You do that, Miss Ashley." He managed to make it sound like a threat. "Break's over."

She bobbed her head in a quick nod and walked out of the office. Out of his oppressive presence, the ache in her hip returned. She imagined the area was already turning black and blue, as she sped down the hallway at a fast limp. She paused outside the door of the Oval Office to gather herself and force her spine straight.

Put the ambassador in a good mood. Easier said than done. She grasped the handle and pulled the door open, forcing a smile to her face. The two men looked up at her when she entered, but she noticed the prince did not meet her eyes. His gaze moved over her carefully, as if taking in every bit of her appearance.

When she took her first limping step, he frowned. She tried not to think about it too hard, turning her gaze to the President.

"I'm sorry I took so long."

"No need to be sorry," he assured her. He watched her take a few more steps before he rose from the couch. "Are you alright, Miss Ashley?"

She nodded quickly. "Just a little tumble. Nothing to worry about."

"You fell? Are you injured?" His eyes flicked to the prince, who had moved to the edge of the sofa.

She could feel her cheeks growing warm. She shook her head, hobbling faster to cut him off before he could draw more attention to her situation. "I'm completely fine, sir. Nothing worse than a bruise. Thank you, though." She dropped onto the couch and winced.

"Are you sure?"

Her eyes flicked from the President to the prince and back. "Perfectly. Thank you, sir." She gave him a small smile and picked up the iPad. "I'm ready when you are."

He gave her an unreadable look and glanced back at the prince, who had not stopped staring at her since she came in. "Let me know if you need to stop."

She nodded dutifully, but let out a relieved sigh when he turned his attention to the prince. She brought up the keyboard and waited.

"What do you think of our country, Prince Edric?" the President asked.

She typed the question and paused, waiting for the prince to answer. She looked up at him when several seconds passed. His eyes were fastened on her, scanning her face. She dropped her head to hide her surprise.

"It has merit."

A small, nonsensical part of her fluttered at the warm tone of his voice. She quickly shoved it down.

"Have you had a chance to see much of it?"

"As of today, I have seen this building and a small portion of the grounds."

"Ah. A fan of architecture?"

"No, your architecture pales in comparison to what I am accustomed to."

Abby mentally cringed. She glanced at the president from the corner of her eye to see if he would rise to the bait. Though he stiffened, he did not comment.

"Then what is it that has impressed you, Prince Edric?"

She watched him from beneath her eyes lashes, as his bright gaze almost met hers before he turned to regard the President.

"You have a very large military, Mr. President." He smiled slightly. "Why is that?"

The President was visibly thrown by the non sequitor. "Excuse me?"

"Eighth in the world, if North Korea is to be believed."

She knew her mouth was hanging open, but she was too busy looking back and forth between the two men to bother with it. She was no politician, but it sounded like a threat to her. From the President's gob smacked expression, she assumed he had not missed it. When the prince sat forward on the couch, her gaze snapped to him.

She studied him while he was occupied with the President. His posture had taken on a watchful, mildly amused air that made her think the President had no idea who he was dealing with. She heard Agent Jackson's words in her mind. A demand to fix this, to keep things on track.

Licking her lips nervously, she said, "Prince Edric?"

His gaze immediately settled on her, disregarding the leader of her country in a way that could be nothing but insulting to the man. "Yes, Miss Ashley?"

She could not suppress the shiver when he said her name in a tone completely unlike the baiting tone he had used with the President. "Would you-" she broke off and cleared her throat.

He settled back on the couch and watched her, allowing her to take her time.

Her gaze flicked to the President and he was watching her with narrowed eyes. She searched her mind for something to say. Anything to get the attention off her and the conversation on a pleasant topic. She tossed out the first thing that entered her mind.

"Would you explain what you meant earlier? About being champion. What does that mean?" She managed to get the questions out without stuttering. As she was mentally patting herself on the back, the prince smiled, flashing a row of bright white, perfectly straight teeth.

It was unfair. When she realized her mouth was hanging open, she snapped it shut and looked away. She was vaguely aware of the President looking back and forth between them, but was more focused on her burning face. It was so ridiculous.

She was a grown woman, twenty-five years old, and she was blushing like a teenager. As the prince began to speak, she forced herself to look at his face. She told herself she was not affected.

"To be the Queen's Champion is a great honor. It is comparable to a general, if Earth had one military and one general." His eyes still did not meet hers, fastened somewhere just above her head.

"And the Queen, that's your mother?" She glanced at the President to make sure it was alright to continue speaking. He gave her a small nod.

"Yes."

"Is she going to come here, too?"

"She does not care for humans," he answered as he looked at the President.

"Oh. Any particular reason?" she quipped, before she caught herself.

He gave her what looked like a fond smile. "Several."

The President cleared his throat and the smile vanished. The prince slowly moved his gaze to look at him. "I think this meeting is over."

…

His party landed on the front lawn of an aptly named large, white house. He paused as the wind died down and glanced around at the capital of the nation. A nation he would not visit were it not necessary. From what he had learned from his advisors, the country's leader intended to try his hand at manipulation. He would learn that the queen's champion was not to be trifled with.

At a quick nod from the captain of his guard, he led the way into the building. The furnishings were tasteful by human standards, the people he passed wise enough to show proper deference. A tall, whip-thin man stood just at the edge of the large entryway. He quickly glanced over the royal guard, before he met the prince's gaze.

"Your Majesty," he murmured, holding out his hand. "My name is Agent Jackson. I'm the head of security at the White House."

Edric sneered down at him. "I have a meeting with your leader."

"Of course." The man dropped his hand to his side. "Please, follow me."

Edric scanned the humans they passed in the halls. His irritation grew when he realized the one face he wanted to see was absent. He cast a dark look at the captain of his guard.

"Lies," he murmured under his breath in his native tongue.

Limek nodded. "So it would seem, my prince." His eyes narrowed on the agent's back.

Edric watched the human pause outside a set of doors and type into a data device. A moment later, he pushed open the doors.

"Your Majesty." He gestured for Edric to precede him into the room.

The prince shared a silent look with Limek. At his captain's nod, he strode past the agent into the room. It was precisely as his advisors had shown him. Two large sofas, a desk, and the seal of the country on a large rug. He scanned the room in the space of a few seconds, and turned his gaze to the man who stood a few feet from him.

From photographs, he knew the man to be the leader of the country. He expected someone taller. The doors closed with a quiet thud behind him. Smiling widely, the man approached him. He held out a hand, clearly expecting him to take it.

After a pregnant pause, he raised his hand to clasp the human's.

"Your Majesty, it is my pleasure to have you here." The president managed to make it sound like he was doing him a favor. His hand clenched a bit tighter, before he let go and stepped back.

Edric gave him a barely-there smile. "It is interesting to meet you."

"Thank you. I apologize, my assistant isn't here yet, but I'm sure she will be here presently." The man gave him another bright smile.

It set his teeth on edge. "Very well."

He allowed the man to usher him onto one of the sofas. It was clearly made for aesthetics rather than comfort. Grinding his teeth to keep from speaking, he ignored the man's monologue about the history of the room. His advisors had already told him all there was to know about the building for security reasons. The man was wasting his breath.

A flurry of activity outside the door to his right made him raise his head slowly. There was something about the faint breathing he could hear through the door. Still pondering, he turned his head to watch the doors open. A young woman stepped into the room slowly, apprehension in every movement she made.

He could not take his eyes off her. As her large, gray eyes took in the room, his gaze roamed over her. She was exactly as he thought she would be. Her photographs did not do her justice. They could not capture the length of her legs, the width of her hips, or the ripe curves of her body.

He noticed a few strands of her chestnut hair had fallen free of the neat hairstyle. It was an improvement. He preferred her hair as he had always seen it, flowing freely down her back. The pantsuit she wore was nicely fitted, but she was clearly uncomfortable. She would have not chosen to wear something so out of character.

He was vaguely aware of the president clearing his throat. The woman's eyes immediately turned toward them, and a becoming blush rose in her pale cheeks. Movement behind her drew his gaze. He watched with narrowed eyes as the same agent stopped behind her, handing her a data pad identical to the one he used earlier.

She visibly started at the presence behind her. His hands clenched on his knees to keep himself from standing. Agent Jackson met his irritated gaze for a fraction of a second and he thought he saw satisfaction before the man left the room. The woman's movement drew his attention away from the closing doors.

She smiled slightly, just a small curve of her full lips, and moved further into the room. Even with the strange footwear she wore, her movements held her usual grace. She prowled forward and paused at the end of the president's sofa. Her eyes landed on him for a the barest of moments, before the president began to speak.

"Ms. Ashley, thank you for joining us. We were just about to begin."

Edric ignored the president's nod in his direction, instead watching the thoughts flow across the woman's face.

"Prince Edric, this is my administrative assistant, Abigail Ashley."

Most of him bristled at the president calling Abigail his anything, but he suppressed the urge to growl at the man. He watched her gaze move over him appreciatively, straightening his spine to let her know she was free to look. As her eyes rose to his, he felt the moment his nature accepted her.

Lightning streaked down his spine, a slight pain, but the joy of being in her presence negated much of the discomfort. He allowed himself only a moment to look into her eyes, before he forced himself to look away. It would be disrespectful to hold her gaze once he had determined her to be the one he sought.

"Okay, let's get started. Prince Edric, is there anything you need before we get started? Refreshments?"

At the president's words, he had to fight the urge to look at the young woman standing so close to him. "No. Thank you." After he spoke, he noticed an immediate change in her scent. She was interested in him. He willed himself to keep still.

"Miss Ashley, would you please be seated?" At the president's words, she moved to sit across from him. "Are you ready, Miss Ashley?"

She gave the president a shaky smile and he had to suppress an irrational surge of jealousy. "Yes, sir. Please continue."

He glanced at her when she spoke, her voice softly accented by her Midwestern upbringing.

"I'll just, um, take notes? Sir."

The small stumble made him want to smile. She was so far out of her element, but it only served to remind him of how very different she was from the others.

"Prince Edric, shall we begin with introductions?"

Still admiring her, the president's words drew his eyes away from her. "Of course," he answered, irritation in every syllable. The man had one thing he wanted. It was not enough to warm his tone.

"Do you mind getting us started?"

The president was a manipulator, but a very wise one. He knew, with Abigail in the room, the prince would have very little choice but to answer his questions. His nature demanded he present himself as worthy of her. He ground his teeth, but raised his head to give the president a dark look.

"I am Ambassador of the Ghadrik, High Prince of the Fourth Realm, and Champion of Her Majesty, The Queen."

The president's lips quirked into a small sneer, but when he spoke it was absent from his tone. "Though I was not born to royalty," he paused to raise a challenging eyebrow, "I am President of the United States, a great nation built on democracy."

His eyes narrowed at the insult to his people. It was only the awareness of Abigail's presence that curbed his violent outburst. "How nice for you," he hissed venomously.

"Um, sir?"

He jerked his head to look at her, the president mirroring his movement. His eyes instantly softened at the worried frown on her face. "Could we take a short break? I forgot to bring my voice recorder. It's still in Agent Jackson's suit jacket."

She was a smart one to try to diffuse the situation. Even though he knew she was doing it for her president, he still respected her attempt.

"Of course, Miss Ashley." The president turned his head to look at him, and he did not bother to meet the man's gaze. "Do you mind if we take a short break?"

She turned her head to look at him, her eyes seeming to look into him. He looked away before he could meet her gaze. "That is satisfactory," he said.

As soon as she left the room all pretense of civility fled. He bared his teeth at the man across from him who gave him a darkly amused smile.

"So, we do have something you want?" The question was pointless, as they both knew the president had him at a disadvantage.

He leaned forward in his chair. "You think I can't find a woman anywhere?" He scoffed. "There is nothing special about her."

"Yet, you came to a meeting that you earlier refused," the president shot back. "Only after we acquired your interest."

"You think Russia did not make a similar offer?" He sat back in his chair with a satisfied smirk on his lips. "A much larger country. Far more variety."

"But no Abigail Ashley."

He hated how sure the president sounded. The man knew far more than he should. "As if I would desire such a woman."

"Despite her deficiencies, you do want her. And if you intend to get her, you will have to negotiate with the United States."

He gave the man a grim smile. "We will see."

The door opened a moment later, cutting off whatever retort the president intended to utter. His satisfaction faded when he turned to look at the beautiful woman standing in the doorway, a frown on her face. His confusion swiftly turned to fury when she limped into the room.

He ignored the president's words, eyes taking in her appearance for any sign of injury. A small tumble, she said. He had nothing but distrust for the country and it's useless leader. He forced himself to stay seated, as he watched her retake her seat and quietly speak with the president.

"What do you think of our country, Prince Edric?"

He was still studying her, when the president's question permeated his single-minded focus.

"It has merit," he answered, watching Abigail blush a becoming shade of pink.

"Have you had a chance to see much of it?"

He pulled his eyes away from her to give the other man a flat look. "As of today, I have seen this building and a small portion of the grounds." None of which was terribly impressive, he mentally added.

"Ah. A fan of architecture?" The man was baiting him. A surge of pure loathing went through him.

He added a bit of bite to his reply. "No, your architecture pales in comparison to what I am accustomed to." His lips twitched in amusement as the president's eyes narrowed.

The man visibly calmed himself and calculation flickered in his eyes a moment before he spoke. "Then what is it that has impressed you, Prince Edric?"

His eyes drifted toward Abigail without his consent. Her warm, gray eyes were watching him. He forced his eyes back to the satisfied gaze of the president. The man truly thought he had the upper hand. He allowed himself to sink back into the uncomfortable couch.

"You have a very large military, Mr. President." He bared his teeth in a mockery of a smile. "Why is that?" He nearly chuckled at the man's flabbergasted stare.

"Excuse me?"

He cocked his head to the side to give the man a look of mock sincerity. "Eighth in the world, if North Korea is to be believed."

He let the threat hang in the space between them, relishing the look of alarmed fury that filled the president's face. Never mind that he had no interest in the petty spats between the human nations, it was enough to let the man know he was aware of human politics.

He sat forward to get a better vantage point to enjoy the emotions crossing the president's face. He was far too easy to read, a great weakness in a leader. As he was considering whether he should twist the verbal knife, Abigail spoke.

"Prince Edric?"

He immediately gave her his full attention, dismissing the man across from him. "Yes, Miss Ashley?" He was aware of the warmth in his tone, but was unable to prevent it.

After a false start, she gathered herself and said, "Would you explain what you meant earlier?" About being champion. What does that mean?"

He knew she was trying to bring the meeting back to something resembling pleasant conversation. He considered ignoring her question, but beyond the pretense of her job, he saw she was truly interested. He could not resist her.

A smile curved his lips, the first he had truly meant since he had left his own realm. Her cheeks instantly pinked and he barely suppressed the pleased rumble in his chest. Ever fiber of his being wanted to move across the room to be at her side. He answered to distract himself, careful not to look her in the eye.

"To be the Queen's Champion is a great honor. It is comparable to a general, if Earth has one military and one general."

"And the queen, that's your mother?"

After she asked the question, he caught her glancing toward the president. For permission, he assumed. He ground his teeth, but nodded to her question. When it was possible, he would take pleasure insuring she need never ask anyone for permission, again. Never bow her head to anyone.

"Yes," he murmured, to both his planned liberation and her question.

"Is she going to come here, too?"

Tone filled with dark amusement, he turned his gaze to the president. "She does not care for humans."

"Oh?" she asked in a light tone. "Any particular reason?"

If he did not already want her, her saucy smirk would have done him in. He smiled, forgetting the president's presence in his enjoyment of her.

"Several," he told her in a conspiratorial tone.

She started to smile at him, when the president cleared his throat. Her smile slid off her face and guilty look took its place. He slowly turned his head to pin the other man with a glare.

"I think this meeting is over."

As loathe as he was to leave Abigail's presence, he could not stay near the president a moment longer without causing him irreparable bodily harm. Something he did not think she would appreciate. He rose to his feet and stalked toward the door, without giving either of them another look.


	2. Eye of Fire

**Chapter Two**

_**Eye of Fire**_

****_"Love in its essence is spiritual fire."_

_- Lucius Annaeus Seneca_

Her eyes followed the enigmatic man as he stalked from the room, unable to look away until he vanished through the doorway. The president's voice jerked her back to attention.

"Miss Ashley."

She whipped around to face him, praying her face was blank and holding none of the intrigue she felt. The prince was rude at best, a terrorist at worst. She had no place finding him the least bit interesting. She straightened her spine.

"Yes, sir?"

He was no longer looking at her, already on his feet and walking toward his desk. Back still to her, he said, "Ask the ambassador to meet with me again next week."

She blinked at his back. When he offered no further instructions, she snatched the tablet from the couch beside her and headed for the door at a fast limp. Get him to agree to a meeting. She could do that, she told herself.

She paused in the hallway, glancing both ways. She caught a glimpse of a an armored back vanishing around the corner at the end of the long hall. Muttering under her breath, she jogged as best she could in the uncomfortable shoes, heels making an uneven clicking on the floor as she went.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she rounded the corner and the prince's party seemed to be having a discussion amongst themselves. She sucked in a lungful of air and let it out slowly, before she raised her head and walked toward them with what she hoped was a dignified air.

The guard closest to the back of the group, glanced over his shoulder at her and immediately elbowed the one next to him. The second guard, the tallest woman Abby had ever seen, cocked her head to the side and stared at her. The Amazonian redhead eventually cleared her throat, attracting the attention of the rest.

"Your Majesty, you have someone seeking an audience." Her voice was deep and raspy, as if she had smoked a few packs of cigarettes before the meeting today.

Abby barely suppressed a smile at the ridiculous thought. The other woman seemed to see her amusement, because she gave her a faint smile in return.

"Sir?" Abby called, peering between the guards to locate the prince at the center of the group. The guards shifted aside and suddenly he stood less than a yard from her.

"Miss Ashley." His eyes did not meet hers, instead moving over her face and eventually fastening on a spot just above her head.

She frowned. He never looked at her when they spoke. It was a small thing, but it nagged at her. She arranged her face into a neutral expression.

"The president would like to meet with you next week."

The guards shifted, drawing her gaze. She noticed the redhead was not the only woman. There were several. A strongly built blonde and a lean, dark-skinned woman. All of them in armor identical to the men. The guards watched the two of them with a strange expression. She was not sure how to take the combination of satisfaction and watchfulness.

"I have no interest in meeting with him," the prince finally answered, drawing her gaze back to him.

His eyes met hers for a fraction of a second, just long enough for her to see the unique aquamarine color, again. The splash of color beneath his dark brows, almost took her breath away. She found herself nodding, before she could stop herself.

"Right. I noticed you don't get on too well."

His lips twisted into a wry smile. "What gave you that impression, Miss Ashley?"

Her stomach did not flutter when he said her name. She cleared her throat. "The barely concealed hostility, mostly."

His eyebrows shot up at her bluntness. The surprise quickly faded into amusement. "You have a very disarming way of speaking your mind, Miss Ashley."

"Yeah, it gets me in trouble." She glanced over her shoulder to check that the hallway was still empty behind her. "So, how about that meeting, Your Majesty?"

His faint scowl made his thoughts clear. She hurried to cut him off before he could turn her down.

"I could take your party on a tour of the grounds, afterwards? Or the city. Whichever one." When he continued to stare at her silently, she racked her brain for something else to offer. "Lunch?"

He cocked his head to the side, at least considering her proposal. After a moment, he nodded once. "Agreed."

She started to smile, when she heard quick footsteps approaching from down the hall. She glanced over her shoulder. Agent Jackson managed to look dignified as he stalked down the hall toward them. His face was arranged in a mask of neutral politeness, but his eyes were cold when they landed on her.

When he was within speaking distance, he gave the prince a tight smile. "Your Majesty." He ducked his head in a quick bow and stepped up beside her. "You have work to finish," he told her without making eye contact.

In trouble, again. She mentally sighed and gave the prince's party a forced smile. "It was nice to meet you, sir. I look forward to seeing you next week."

Agent Jackson cleared his throat and sent her a quick glare. "I'll meet you in my office."

She glanced at the prince to see him watching Jackson with an unreadable look. He did not look at her. She refused to examine the bloom of disappointment she felt at his lack of attention. Turning away, she took a few steps before the prince spoke,

"Abigail?"

Her breath caught in her throat at the husky tone. She swallowed hard and glanced over her shoulder at him.

He gave her a small smile, but his eyes were warm. "I enjoyed meeting you, also."

She bobbed her head in a quick nod and limped away, with as much dignity as possible. Agent Jackson's office was empty when she reached it, the other agents having vacated the premises. She collapsed into one of the chairs facing his desk and settled in to wait.

Her feet and hip throbbed in time with her heartbeat. She could almost feel the bruise forming on her pale skin. She shifted uncomfortably. The hard, wooden chair was obviously meant as a torture device. Or the first discomfort in an interrogation. She tried to shove the thought away before it could take root.

She had not actually done anything wrong. At least, she did not think so. She rubbed at the back of her neck and allowed her eyes to wander around the office. The white walls were hung with generic landscape artwork and framed certificates of achievement. Her eyes slid over a few medals and she tried not to think about how outranked she was in the situation.

She jumped when the door swung open behind her, her eyes fastening on her stone-faced supervisor. Agent Jackson crossed the room to stand behind his desk, never giving her even a cursory glance. Definitely in trouble, she mused. She sat up straighter in the chair, carefully crossing her ankles and laying her hands in her lap.

"Sir?" she asked in a neutral tone.

His eyes snapped up from his desktop to glare at her. "Do you know your title here?"

"I'm a temp, right? Stepping in for the president's usual assistant while she's on leave?" Her voice grew quieter as she spoke and his expression did not soften. She sighed. "Am I fired?"

He held his glare a moment longer, before he slowly shook his head. "No." He pulled open one of his desk drawers and set a single sheet of paper on the desktop in front of her. "Sign that."

She internally bristled at the order, but leaned forward to look over the full page of writing. "What is it?"

His lips pressed into a flat line and his eyes narrowed. "A housing contract."

"I have an apartment." She looked up at him. "Why do I have to move?"

"You have moved," he told her blandly. "A team moved all of your things this morning. You are now staying in a triplex a few blocks from here."

She fought the urge to frown. "Why?"

"Do you have another job lined up, Miss Ashley?" he asked her pointblank.

Her eyes dropped to the contract and she shook her head. "I need a pen." The smug satisfaction rolling off him made her want to grind her teeth. She snatched the pen he handed her and signed her name in an irritated flourish.

"Thank you, Miss Ashley. Now, if you would wait outside, I will have someone escort you to your new living accommodations."

She knew a dismissal when she heard one. She forced a smile. "Have a nice day, sir."

He waved her off. "You, as well."

She managed to close the door gently when she left. The woman sitting at the desk to her right shot her a cool look, as if she were disturbing her work on purpose. Abby tried to ignore her irritated sniff.

"You, Abigail?" a voice asked from behind her.

She turned to see a pretty, dark-skinned woman giving her a once over. The woman raised an eyebrow when she did not immediately answer.

"Abby, please."

"Candace," the other woman quickly answered, thrusting out a hand to shake. As they shook, she leaned to the right to peer at the woman sitting at the desk.

"You got a problem, Gretchen?"

Abby glanced over her shoulder to see Agent Jackson's assistant shaking her head. "I'm fine."

"Mmhmm. That's what I thought." Candace rolled her eyes and sent Abby a pointed look. "Let's go. You got stuff to get?"

Abby shook her head. "I'm good."

"Let's go, then." Candace turned and walked away without waiting to see if she was following.

Abby blinked at the abrupt meeting and exit. She quickly followed the shorter woman down the hall, finally catching up when they reached the elevator.

"So…"

Candace glanced at her. "So?"

Abby's lips twitched up into a smile. She already liked the other woman. "How long have you worked here?"

Candace snorted. "Too long?"

The elevator slid open and they stepped into the small space.

"What do you do here?" Abby asked, trying to start a conversation with the other woman.

Candace gave her a bland look. "We gonna be girlfriends, now?"

Abby turned her head to hide her smile. She cleared her throat. "No, sorry. I don't mean to be nosy."

"Mmhmm." Candace stepped off the elevator and took off down a brightly lit hallway.

"Are we underground?" Abby struggled to keep up with the other woman, snatching looks at doors as they hurried past.

"There's a car waiting," she said by way of an answer.

Abby sighed, wondering at the secrecy. After several minutes of walking in silence, they approached a concrete staircase and took two flights of stairs up to ground level. A pair of guards waited outside the door, both armed heavily.

"Candace Johnson and Abigail Ashley," Candace quickly told them, holding out her ID card and gesturing for Abby to do the same.

The closest guard spent several seconds examining the Ids, before he nodded silently and waved them on. Abby followed Candace across a hallway and through a door to what looked like a side driveway. Candace nudged her into the back of a black car, before she could ask any questions.

The car began moving the second the door closed behind the other woman. Candace reached past her to push the button to raise the screen between the front and back seat. It slid closed with a soft sigh and Candace echoed the sound.

"Where are you from, anyway?"

Abby looked at the divider and then smiled slightly. "Missouri. You?"

"Virginia." Candace turned in the seat to face her. "First thing. You can't just say what you want when you want. People are listening. Back there, for sure." She thumbed over her shoulder toward the White House.

"Okay…"

Candace visibly relaxed.

"Where are we going, anyway?"

"You're staying next to my place. It's a triplex. You're in the middle and Jenny King is on the end."

"Who?" Abby asked, watching Candace dig in her purse.

"Spencer Harrington's secretary." She fished out a key ring with two keys on it. "It's not important. Here's your keys. That's the front door and a spare."

"Thanks." Abby started to put the keys in her pocket and paused when she realized her pants did not have one. She sighed. "Is this the usual dress code?"

Candace looked up from her purse. "Mmhmm. You better get used to it if you're going to be working at the White House."

Abby wrinkled her nose, but nodded. "Right."

At her flat tone, the other woman set aside her purse and gave her a bland look. "What?"

"Nothing. So, what do you do?"

Candace raised an eyebrow at her blatant change of topic, but answered the question, anyway. "HR." She paused for a moment, before she said, "How did you get here?"

"Long story," Abby hedged.

"You followed a man."

The comment surprised a laugh from her. She shook her head. "Yes, but not the way you think."

"Mmhmm."

Abby grinned. "No really. A friend of mine moved to New York to pursue his photography. I had just graduated from college and wasn't really doing anything, so I agreed to share rent with him."

"And?" Candace urged.

She shrugged. "We lived together for about ten months. I worked at a deli in Queens and did some part-time modeling, while he tried to get a job. He did."

"And?"

"And I couldn't afford rent after he moved out." Abby smiled wryly. "I eventually got a job working at a bakery and living in the apartment upstairs. Then, two days ago Agent Jackson showed up. End of story."

Candace nodded with a slight frown. "He just showed up?"

"Yep."

"That's…"

The car turned into the parking lot before she could finished her thought. Abby leaned forward to peer out Candace's window at the two story triplex. Cookie-cutter, white with grey shutters, it looked identical to the other three along the sidewalk.

"Here we are," Candace said, as she opened the door.

Abby followed her out of the backseat and stood on the sidewalk while the other woman spoke to the driver. Her gaze wandered over the identical buildings and crowded parking lot. It was a far cry from Queens and an even further cry from small town Missouri. She rolled her shoulders and raised her head.

"Come on," Candace tossed over her shoulder, as she strode past her toward the closest building.

She stopped at her apartment to drop her purse just inside the front door and gestured for Abby to proceed her to the center unit. The keys jingled on the nearly empty keychain, when she slid the key into the lock. Braced for the worst, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The entryway was a pleasant surprise. A breakfast nook sat to her right, with a padded bench tucked under the oak table. Two matching chairs sat on the side closest to the door. She stepped into the nook to look around the kitchen. It was far larger than she expected.

A peninsula separated the kitchen from the dining room and living room. A small table with four chairs sat just outside the kitchen and a couch sat further to the left, marking the separation between the dining and living space. The wall on the far left held a large TV. She did not recognize any of the furnishings.

"Where's all my stuff?" She looked over her shoulder to see Candace shrug. Frowning, she peeked in the door under the stairs to see a two-piece powder room.

She climbed the stairs quickly and found a large master bedroom with an attached bathroom and a full closet. None of the clothes looked familiar.

"These aren't my clothes," she tossed over her shoulder as she looked over the suits and dresses.

Several of the dresses looked like something she would wear to a dinner party or black tie affair. The fabrics were lustrous and obviously expensive, but the clothes were not hers. They were the opposite of what she would wear. She found herself scowling, as she left the bedroom and crossed the hallway to find a smaller bedroom.

Four boxes sat in the center of the room. A fraction of the amount she had packed, all of them were labeled bathroom or personal effects. She wondered what the agents would consider personal effects. She considered all of her possessions to be personal. She put her hands on her hips and glared at the boxes.

"Is this how they usually help someone move?" she muttered.

"I don't know. I moved my own stuff." Candace stopped up next to her. "How much is missing?"

Abby sighed heavily. "Like, all of it."

She whirled around and stalked out of the room. She stomped down the stairs and collapsed on the couch, refusing to acknowledge it was actually comfortable. They had gotten rid of all of her things. Even as she thought it, she looked up and saw one of her photographs on the wall beside the TV.

Kicking off her heels, she walked over to look at the framed picture. She had not looked at it since it was displayed at her old roommate's art show. Candace reached the bottom of the stairs and headed toward her. She started to sit on the couch, before she moved to stand beside her instead.

"Is that you?"

Abby nodded. "My roommate took it two years ago."

She could still remember the exact moment he snapped the picture. Their old apartment was a loft in a partially remodeled warehouse. It was all old brick and glass. They were on the third floor and the front wall of the apartment was full of large windows.

She had just taken a shower and was sitting on the edge of the kitchen table to look out the window as she dried her hair with a towel. The thin, white button-down shirt she wore had been her mother's, one of her favorites. She felt a twinge of pain when she realized it was probably gone with the rest of her clothes.

Leo, her roommate, had walked out of his room with the camera as the clouds parted to splash sunshine through the windows. The sun had been so warm on her face, she closed her eyes to enjoy it. The sound of the camera brought her out of her enjoyment, just before the clouds hid the sun, again.

Looking at the picture, it was difficult to believe the woman was her. The sunlight brought out strands of gold and red in her dark hair. The way she was partially turned toward the window cast half her body in shadow, the bare skin on the other half nearly glowed by comparison.

The shirt stopped at mid thigh and was only partially buttoned, falling open to reveal one shoulder. The towel lay forgotten on the table beside her. It was a brief moment of beauty. The picture looked staged. Only the two of them knew it was not. She sighed and turned away.

"One of the modeling pictures?" Candace asked, as she studied the photo.

"An accidental one. My friend, Leo, hung it in the gallery for this first show in New York." She walked past the shorter woman and dropped down on the couch. "I forgot I had it."

…

He felt her approach and his words tapered off mid-sentence. He ignored the knowing look his second gave him.

"Your Majesty, you have someone seeking an audience," Konani called, the humor obvious in her voice.

He met her gaze through the small crowd and her eyes sparkled with amusement. He gave her a bland look.

"Sir?" Abigail's voice flowed over him like a wave of heat.

He gestured for his guards to move out of her way.

"Miss Ashley."

His eyes roamed over her, hungry to take her in even after such a short time apart. He forced himself not to meet her bright gaze. She may not know the significance of such familiarity, but he did.

She frowned for a moment, before giving him a carefully neutral expression.

"The president would like to meet with you next week."

His guards shifted at the mention of the human leader, their dislike obvious in the air. Abigail turned her attention to his guards. He watched her notice the female guards among the males. She seemed surprised. He frowned. Perhaps, humans did not allow females to serve as guards.

Nitya sent him a quick look, clearly thinking something along the same lines. She shook her bright, golden hair back over her shoulders and raised her chin proudly. His eyes wandered over the rest of his guards, wondering what Abigail saw when she looked at them.

Roshan and Desta exchanged a glance, Desta clearly pleased with the situation. Her lips curled up into a smile, sharp, white teeth flashing against her dark skin. Roshan returned the look with a sedate curve of his lips, giving her a curt nod.

"I have no interest in meeting with him," Edric answered, drawing Abigail's gaze away from his guards and back to him.

His eyes met hers for a fraction of a second, and the same jolt of pleasure shot down his spine. The edge of pain was absent, unlike the first time. The dazed look on her face, gave him hope that she felt a fraction of the draw he felt toward her. She nodded.

"Right. I noticed you don't get on too well."

A gross understatement. He loathed the man, but he would not tell her that.

"What gave you that impression, Miss Ashley?"

She cleared her throat. "The barely concealed hostility, mostly."

His eyebrows shot up at her bluntness and he bit back a surprised laugh. Her behavior in the meeting had concerned him greatly, as she was not quiet or subservient by nature. It was a relief to see she felt comfortable enough to show her true personality.

"You have a very disarming way of speaking your mind, Miss Ashley."

"Yeah, it gets me in trouble."

He frowned when she glanced over her shoulder to check that the hallway was still empty behind her. As if anyone in the building had the right to chastise her.

"So, how about that meeting, Your Majesty?"

Another meeting with the pompous, megalomaniacal leader. He growled quietly.

"I could take your party on a tour of the grounds, afterwards? Or the city. Whichever one."

Time spent with her would be worth the time wasted in the meeting, but he doubted the humans would allow her to travel far from them. Not when she was so valuable. He did not realize he was staring at her, until she spoke again.

"Lunch?"

He could not stay away now that he had found her. He nodded. "Agreed."

Her lush lips curved up into a pleased smile. He sensed the agent's presence, before she heard him. The smile immediately fell from her face, a nervous grimace taking its place. He wanted to break the man. He mentally sighed and turned his gaze to the irritating man walking down the hallway toward them.

The agent's face was arranged in a mask of neutral politeness, but his eyes were cold when they landed on Abigail. Edric reconsidered his vow not to commit violence toward a human in front of Abigail. The man had the gall to glare at her. He bared his teeth.

The agent gave him a tight smile, but he saw a flash of fear in his gaze before it was hidden.

"Your Majesty." He ducked his head in a quick bow.

The man stood far too close to Abigail. Edric was sure his face spoke of violence.

"You have work to finish," the agent told Abigail, dismissing her.

He could barely contain his fury. He kept his face carefully neutral when Abigail looked at him. She gave him a weak smile.

"It was nice to meet you, sir. I look forward to seeing you next week." The sincerity took the edge off his anger.

The agent cleared his throat, interrupting their conversation, "I'll meet you in my office."

He would kill him, he decided as he stared at the man. His rudeness toward Abigail was unacceptable. He would have to make sure she did not find out, as she may frown upon violence toward her species. He was still pondering the man's demise, when Abigail looked at him. He did not look at her, afraid she would see the darkness in his eyes.

He did not let his gaze wander to her until she turned away. Taking in her slumped shoulders, he said her name before he could stop himself.

"Abigail?" It came out with a touch of a growl, and he feared he would frighten her. He heard her breathing pause, before she glanced over her shoulder at him.

She licked her lips. He watched the unconscious gesture and had to take a deep breath to reign himself in. He gave her a small smile.

"I enjoyed meeting you, also."

She had no idea how much he meant it. She bobbed her head in a quick nod and limped away. He could not watch her, because the agent stepped into his line of sight. He would kill him slowly, he decided.

"Your Majesty," he sneered. "I assume you will be attending all of the president's meetings in the future."

"You assume much," Limek snarled, surging toward the man. Konani, grabbed his arm to hold him back.

Edric gave her a quick nod of thanks. He turned his gaze back to the human to see him looking at the captain of his guard with disgust.

"You should learn to control your dogs."

Konani bared her teeth. "You will not insult my arammu, human."

The agent gave her an unimpressed look. "Or what?" He gestured toward Edric and smirked. "Your leader has to play nice with us."

Konani gave him a chilling smile. "Insult my mate again and I will remove your skin. While you are still living." She cocked her head to the side and one red curl fell over her shoulder. "I will ask my prince for forgiveness, afterwards."

He fought the urge to laugh at the effect of his guard's words. The human immediately paled and his eyes darted left to right, as if looking for an escape route. He smiled.

"Until next week," he told the panicked man.

As his guards fell into formation behind him, Limek apologized in their native tongue.

"Think nothing of it, my friend. When the time is right, you may have your pound of flesh." He glanced over his shoulder to see his second smile.


	3. The Scent of Truth

**Chapter Three**

_**The Scent of Truth**_

_"Love is the only reality and it is not a mere sentiment. _

_It is the ultimate truth that lies at the heart of creation." _

_-Rabindranath Tagore _

Agent Jackson ignored her presence, continuing to fiddle with the projector on the back wall. She took the time to examine the room. On the second floor, it was no larger than an office, holding a table for six people and the projector screen on one wall. She sent the agent a quick glance and mentally shrugged, dropping into the chair closest to her.

She was not in the best of moods after being awakened before the sun. The rude blare of a cell phone woke her at six o'clock that morning. She had nearly fallen out of bed, as she blindly reached for the noise in the darkness of her bedroom. It had been hidden in the top drawer of her bedside table. She was amazed it had not rung in the past week.

To add insult to the rude wake-up call, Agent Jackson's voice had sounded just as crisp as usual when he told her to put on a dress from the closet and be ready in twenty minutes. She barely remembered her shower or putting on make-up, but a quick glance in the mirror inside in the front door proved that she had done something to look presentable.

She sighed under her breath and looked around the room, again. Curious against her will. The curiosity kept her awake after the large breakfast the kitchen had made for her. The cooks had been almost too nice. They made her enough food for two people and hovered to make sure she did not need anything.

The two cooks, Sophie and Christian, looked strangely familiar. She spent her entire breakfast time trying to figure out how she knew them. After an hour of sipping orange juice, she slid her glass away and turned her attention to the two people standing to her left. She knew them from the bakery in New York.

It was far too early to explore all the possible reasons for their presence in two completely different places. She had walked from the kitchen with nothing but a quiet thanks. At eleven o'clock, Agent Jackson had wandered past her chair in the hallway and silently gestured for her to follow him. He had not even looked up from the tablet he was reading.

The projector screen filled with eight thumbnails. She watched Agent Jackson click the first picture and a family portrait filled the screen. Two people stood on a platform in front of a wall made of intricately carved gold. Two massive pillars bracketed the pair, the black stone veined with gold. Her eyes drifted to the subject of the portrait.

Abby blinked to be sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing. The woman was wearing armor. A long, flowing silk-like material pooled on the ground around her, but her upper half was covered in silver armor. The metal plates covered her from neck to waist.

Waist-length raven hair flowed around her shoulders, as if it were being blown by a slight breeze. It blanketed the toddler in her arms. The child's dark curls surrounded his pink cheeks, as he held handfuls of his mother's hair. Abby tore her eyes away to look at Agent Jackson.

"Why is it so grainy?"

Jackson scowled. "Our technology is somewhat incompatible." He did not expound.

Abby nodded. "So, who is that?"

The woman's face, while blurry from the poor image quality, was fine featured. Bright blue eyes stared at the camera with a hint of challenge, as if she were daring anyone to oppose her.

"Queen Loreet."

Abby sent the agent a quick glance at the obvious disdain in his voice. "Queen of the Ghadrik?"

"Yes. And that," he gestured to the child, "is Prince Edric."

Abby's lips twitched. She kept her thoughts about his cuteness to herself, sure the agent would not approve.

Jackson pressed a key on the laptop and another image filled the screen. A teenage Edric stared at the camera with a look of stoic detachment. His aquamarine eyes seemed to look through the camera to pin the observer in place. It sent a shiver down her back.

She noticed he looked much the same as he had when she met him, but his hair was shorter and his face had not completely lost the roundness of youth. The Edric she met had grown into his chiseled jaw line and strong features. His eyes, while the same color, were far deeper, as if he had seen far too much in his life.

"The Prince just after he became ambassador," Jackson supplied, not even trying to hide his dislike.

Abby looked at him from the corner of her eye. "He looks really young."

"He's forty-eight in that picture."

She jerked her head around to stare at him. "Seriously?"

The agent gave her a bland look. "Yes." He tapped the keyboard to show her the next slide.

A familiar man and woman stood side by side facing the camera. The redheaded amazon she met yesterday and the severe-looking man who had been standing to the prince's right. The woman's left arm was bound to the man's right, from wrist to elbow, with what looked like strips of leather.

"Limek, head of the prince's guard, and Konani, the prince's lead advisor."

Abby glanced at Jackson, then back at the picture. "Looks like a ceremony."

Her eyes wandered over the floor length, belted robes the two wore. Konani's, a bright crimson, and Limek's, black with crimson around the collar.

"Arammu ceremony," the agent said.

She raised an eyebrow in question and he elaborated.

"Their version of a wedding."

"Their version?"

"It's a matriarchal society," he answered, as if that explained his disdain.

She looked over the two of them, noticing the crimson trim on Limek's robes was not matched by black on Konani's.

"So, he wears her colors?"

Jackson gave her a curt nod and flipped to the next slide. It was similar to the first, an Arammu ceremony, but the subjects were two different guards. The muscular, blonde woman and a lean, dark-haired man. She recognized both from the hallway the week before. The woman smiled widely at the camera, while the man's gaze was fastened on his bond mate.

There was something sweet about the way he watched her, as if he adored her. Her smile seemed to hold all the confidence of a woman who knew she was loved by her mate. Abby found herself smiling at the image.

"Nitya, chief strategic officer, and her bond mate, Voski, head of foreign trade."

Jackson tapped the keyboard harder than necessary and the image changed to another Arammu ceremony. A dark-skinned woman and the other male guard, a man with sandy blond hair. Unlike the first two bonding pictures, the couple faced each other. The man's large hand rested at the woman's waist and her palm lay against the side of his face, cupping his cheek.

"Roshan, the prince's personal physician, and Desta, master armorer."

"And they are all members of his guard, too?" She turned her gaze to the agent to see his face clouded by irritation.

He scowled at her, obviously displeased by something. "Every Ghadrikan is trained in warfare from birth." He punched the keyboard, still staring at her. His sharp gaze made her feel like she was under a microscope.

She looked away from him to study the projector screen. The picture quality was far worse than the other images. She could make out an immense silver pyramid, a jungle, and a sprawling seaside city, but not much detail.

"The capital city of Anshargal."

She nodded. "It looks…nice?"

Jackson sent her an annoyed glare. "This is not a joke, Miss Ashley. You may not care about any of this, but you will learn it."

"I wasn't being flippant, sir."

He ignored her.

"Prince Edric was born and raised in Anshargal. I have assembled a packet of information on the six members of the prince's personal guard, the queen, and Anshargal."

She followed his gaze toward the back of the room and the thick legal envelope on the table by the door.

"What about the prince?" She frowned. "Don't I need to know information about him?"

Agent Jackson's lips pressed into a flat line, but he nodded. "There is a small amount of information on him, as well."

She tried not to think too much of the way the agent seemed to be analyzing her. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I will let you know when the meeting is over." He turned back to the screen and tapped the keyboard.

A family tree filled the screen. She immediately noticed it looked oddly lopsided. She frowned as she stared at it, trying to figure out what made it different than usual.

"The titles are passed down the maternal line," Jackson said.

She nodded. That explained why only the maternal parents were shown. Immediately above Edric's name, his mother Loreet was paired with Gol. It then branched to Kiana and Ekur, Loreet's parents. As she followed the family tree, she found herself fascinated by the society.

"Why is Gol's name in a different font?" She scanned the other names to be sure she had not missed anything.

"A treaty marriage. King Gol's kingdom was at war with Ghadrik."

"I thought they had the Arammu thing?"

"An exception," Jackson said, clearly finished with the subject. He brought up the next slide.

It was a complex chart labeled 'Arammu Relationship Flowchart'. She raised her eyebrows at the title.

"Why do I need to know-"

"The Arammu bonding is the center of Ghadrikan culture. If you understand it, you understand everything." Jackson sent her a cool look. "Any other questions?"

She shook her head and gestured for him to continue. She leaned back in her chair and he began to speak.

"The first six to eight decades of life are spent learning a craft and searching for the Arammu."

"The Arammu? They think there's only one person?"

The agent glared at her for the interruption. "Yes. As I was saying, the craft learned is representative of the Ghadrikan's personality."

"So, how does a doctor fit with an armorer?" she asked, remembering Roshan and his mate, Desta.

He ignored her question and continued with his explanation.

"When the male Ghadrikan has identified his Arammu, he approaches her and makes his intentions known. Usually with an offering of some kind. It varies from bond to bond."

"What if she rejects him?" Abby interrupted.

Jackson gave her a cold look. "That never happens." He held her gaze a moment, before he continued.

"If she accepts the offering, he is allowed to court her. Courtship can last for decades."

"Why so long?" She could not wrap her mind around it.

"Ghadrikan's live three times longer than humans. The Prince is almost ninety years old."

Abby blinked in surprise. The man did not look a day past thirty. "Really?"

The agent ignored her and started to speak, again.

"Wait," she interrupted, ignoring his frown. "I thought you said they are supposed to find their bond mate person by eighty."

"What is your point, Miss Ashley?"

"Well, I mean, is the prince bonded?" She hoped she sounded properly disinterested.

"No," he answered flatly. "Anything else?"

"Nothing." She gestured for him to go on.

"Good. The president is expecting the prince's party to arrive at precisely fourteen hundred hours. You will not be sitting in on the meeting."

Abby opened her mouth to argue and caught herself. She nodded.

"What will I be doing?"

"Giving Limek a tour of the White House."

She fought not to frown. "I doubt he would leave his ambassador on foreign soil." She shifted at the look Jackson gave her. "Besides, I don't know where anything is."

"Get a map from the lobby, Miss Ashley," Jackson said, as he pushed back his chair.

She followed his example and followed him to the door. He stopped to snatch the envelope off the table by the door and thrust it toward her.

"Read that. I want it memorized by next week."

She looked down at the packet in her hands. Not likely, she thought. She tried to keep her doubt off her face. As Agent Jackson opened the door, her hands tightened on the envelope.

"Sir?"

He paused, but did not turn. "What is it?"

"We are a foreign nation to Ghadrik. Why would they give us so much information?"

He turned his head away, but not fast enough to hide his smirk. "We have our sources. You have an hour until the meeting. I suggest you clean yourself up."

She looked down at herself as the door clicked shut. She was wearing another government approved outfit. The black, sleeveless dress was comfortable in a very fitted way. It fell to her knees in a structured A-line. The matching jacket was equally fitted, a single button defining her waist. She felt overly put-together.

Another pair of high heels adorned her feet. Even after a week of walking in heels, she still hated them. She sighed and left the conference room in search of the ladies room. Candace had told her not to bring a purse to work, because it was too much trouble to have it searched every day.

She was not sure how she was going to clean herself up, without any supplies.

She smiled slightly. Even her inner voice added quotation marks around the agent's words.

She wandered around the second floor for almost twenty minutes before she found a bathroom and locked herself inside. After splashing water on her face rearranging a few of her hairpins, she thought she looked presentable. She hurried out of the ladies room and took the closest staircase, her heels clomping loudly on the stairs.

She nearly fell out of the stairwell when she caught sight of Agent Jackson waiting for her.

"You're late," he said, looking her over. "Come with me. The ambassador's party is already here."

He walked away without waiting for her to respond. She sighed and followed him down the hallway as fast as her shoes allowed. He did not speak to her until they neared the oval office. Then, he turned to her so fast she almost collided with him. He frowned at her.

"You will give the prince's head of security a tour. You will stay in the tourist approved areas. You will not mention anything you have seen or heard while working here."

She blinked at him. "Okay?"

"Do you or do you not understand these very simple instructions?"

She nodded. "Got it."

She waited until he turned away to narrow her eyes at him. So rude. She followed him down the hall to where the prince's guards gathered. Her eyes scanned over the assembly, now having names to put with faces. They turned to face them as they approached. She stepped to the side to get a clear view of everyone.

The redhead, Konani, met her gaze. She thought she saw warmth there, before Konani's blue eyes cut to Agent Jackson and became icy. Abby looked over the group, telling herself she was not looking for a certain pair of aquamarine eyes. When she had searched all the faces, she realized he was not present. She looked down.

"Miss Ashley."

She fought the urge to shiver pleasantly at the sound of his voice. She turned slowly, keeping her face carefully blank.

"Your Highness. It's nice to see you, again." She was able to keep all but a trace of breathiness out of her voice.

Her eyes slowly rose from the front of his perfectly fitted suit to meet his gaze. The full force of his eyes met hers for a fraction of a second before he looked away. It felt like all the air was sucked from her lungs. She forced a smile.

"It is very pleasant to see you, also," he said.

She licked her lips nervously. When his eyes followed the action, she smiled. His lips immediately curved in response.

"The president is expecting you, Your Highness." Agent Jackson's voice had the effect of being dowsed in ice water.

She blinked hard and turned away from the prince, looking at anything but the guards assembled in front of her. She was mortified and she was not completely sure why. Every time she was near the prince it felt intimate, private. As if they were alone in a separate world. She mentally shook herself.

She felt the prince watching her and tried not to think too much of it.

"Your Majesty?" Agent Jackson said.

She glanced over her shoulder and her gaze met Edric's for a brief moment before he turned away to follow the agent toward the Oval Office. She could not be sure, but she thought she saw a flash of resignation in his eyes. Frowning, she turned back to the guards.

Konani openly studied her. Her red hair was swept back from her face in a braid that fell over her shoulder. After a moment of eye contact, she looked at the man to her left. Abby's gaze followed the movement to see Limek and Konani engage in a silent conversation. It ended with Limek raised one eyebrow and nodding.

"Miss Ashley," Konani said, turning back to her. "Would it be alright if I accompanied the two of you on the tour?" She gestured to her mate.

Abby looked back and forth between the two. Limek's face showed no expression, his sharp cheekbones and ice blue gaze giving him a severe appearance. She blinked in surprise when his lips suddenly curved up into a small smile, warmth in his gaze. She shrugged.

"Sure."

She looked over the other guards and saw the same expression. It almost looked like fondness. She mentally shook her head. As if they would like her any more than anyone else.

Konani smiled and glanced over her shoulder at the other guards. She said few words in a language Abby could not understand and the others gave her a sharp nod. Turning back, Konani's gaze met her mates. Limek raised both eyebrows, before he nodded.

Abby was not sure if she was suspicious of all their nonverbal communication or jealous of their closeness. She sighed to herself. Mostly jealous. Konani, seemingly finished communicating with her mate, headed in her direction. It was not until she stopped in front of her, Abby realized the difference in height.

Her head came to the other woman's chin. She craned her head back to meet her gaze. Konani cocked her head to the side, simply meeting her gaze. After a moment, she nodded and bowed at the waist.

"It's a pleasure to formally make your acquaintance, Abigail Ashley" she said in her deep, scratchy voice.

Abby blinked at the show of respect, before quickly bowing in return. "You, too. And just Abby's fine. Abigail's way too formal."

Amusement filled the other warm's gaze. "Abby, it is. I would be happy to have you call me Konani."

"Will do." She peered around the other woman to see Limek still speaking to the other guards in another language.

"Is that your native language?"

"Ghad," Konani nodded.

"It's pretty," she said before she could stop herself.

Konani smiled. "You are funny. I can see the draw," she said cryptically.

Limek joined them before Abby could ask her what she meant. He stood close enough to Konani for their shoulders to brush.

"We are ready to begin, Abigail Ashley."

She nodded and started to turn away. "Oh, right." She looked back at him. "Feel free to call me Abby. No one calls me Abigail."

He nodded. "Understood."

She smiled and turned away. "We'll start on the bottom floor."

Even as she said it, she was not entirely sure how to get to the main entrance from where they were. She slipped the White House Tours map from her inner jacket pocket, as she led the two down the hall. At the end, she realized she was going the wrong direction.

"Well, this is the end of the hallway." She gestured, as if she meant to show them nothing.

From Konani's mildly amused stare, she was sure they knew more about the layout of the building than she did. Which begged the question of why they would want a tour. She frowned and turned to face them. They watched her expectantly, and her curiosity got the best of her.

"How long have you two been together, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Eighty years," Konani said.

Abby felt like her eyes were bugged out of her face. "Seriously?"

She looked them over carefully, and noticed they did seem older than Edric. Closer to mid-forties.

"Yes. Limek approached me earlier than is custom." She sent him a small smile. "Though he was very accomplished."

Fascinated, Abby could not keep herself from questioning the woman. "So, what kind of offering did he give?"

Konani gave her a smile that could only be called a smirk. "He built me a house."

Abby's eyebrows shot up. She glanced at Limek. "Why?"

"She wanted one," Limek said.

"Wow." She looked back and forth between Konani's amused face and Limek's expressionless one. "That sure beats how we date."

Konani let out a surprised bark of laughter. "I cannot imagine courting more than once. It seems tiring."

Abby shrugged. "Can be."

"Go ahead," Konani said, rightfully assuming she had far more questions about the topic.

"Really? You don't mind? I don't want to be nosey."

Limek cocked his head to the side, and she wondered if it was a gesture he had picked up from Konani or the other way around.

"There is no shame in curiosity. Please ask your questions," he said.

She smiled. "So how did you know she was your Ammaru?"

She could tell by his expression, he was expecting the question. "I was drawn to her."

"Oh." She had expected something a little more mystical. "So, it's an attraction thing."

Konani laughed. "If that were true, we would court like humanity." She shook her head. "No, it is science and math that draws the mates together."

"Calculations?" The conversation was moving in the opposite direction of romance. Abby sighed.

"Not the kind you are accustomed to," Konani said. She glanced at Limek and he picked up where she left off.

"We became aware of the Ammaru bond by accident several millennia ago. We noticed that while all of matter is composed of atoms, they do not all act alike. When the atoms in two people vibrate at the same frequency, we call them Ammaru."

Konani nodded. "But, it's more than that. We noticed the bond between the atomic particles ran far deeper. It affected the personality, making the two complement each other. It even created a system to let the male know when he had found his mate."

"Not the female?" Abby questioned.

"That is part of the reason our society developed as a matriarchy. He asks, she accepts." Konani smiled slightly. "I, personally, did not have the time to spend on pursuit. I was pleased to leave it to Limek."

Abby followed her gaze to the raised eyebrow on Limek's face. She suppressed a smile and glanced around.

"I should give you that tour, now." She looked back the way they had come and gestured in that direction. "Shall we?"

The two of them nodded in in unison.

"Lead the way, Abby," Konani said pleasantly.

Abby lead the way down the hallway, pausing at the doorway to the Roosevelt Room.

"This is one of the conference rooms. It's named after both Roosevelt's and was Theodore Roosevelt's office in 1903." She glanced up from her tour guide to see the two Ghadrikans watching her. "He's my favorite president."

Konani nodded. "Agreed."

Abby nodded and lead the way around the corner toward the main residence.

"Do you know a lot about American history?" Abby glanced over her shoulder to look at the other woman.

"Earth history is a hobby of mine, so I know a little," Konani said.

Limek made a sound in the back of his throat that sounded suspiciously like a suppressed laugh.

"She is being modest," Limek said with a soft look toward his mate. "She is very knowledgeable about all human history."

Abby looked at Konani with interest. "Really? What's your favorite part of history?"

Konani straightened her spine, making the two inch difference between her and her mate a more pronounced four inches. She sent Limek a sly grin.

"I have a certain fondness for the warrior queens of Africa."

Abby gave her a quick once over, taking in her strong stance and armor clad body. "That makes sense."

She turned to continue down the hallway, the other two falling in behind her. She stopped at the next doorway on her right.

"This is the Cabinet Room. A meeting room for the president and the members of his cabinet to meet and discuss business."

She noticed the mildly disgusted look on Konani's face at the mention of the president, but she chose to ignore it. She had no great love for the man, but she knew who was signing her paycheck.

"The Rose Garden is just out that window. In fact, we should probably go out that way." She left out the part about how she had no idea how to navigate the interior hallways to get them to the main residence.

She led them around the long table that dominated the room and out a set of French doors. The weather was warm enough to make the stroll down the open air walkway pleasant instead of horrible. She had noticed the weather in the capital was a mercurial as the politics.

They reentered the building near the kitchen, pausing at the doorway to give the couple a chance to look around. Konani seemed interested in the kitchen's inner workings, her eyes following the cooks around the large room.

"It is strange to see food being prepared with fire," Konani murmured.

Abby glanced at her. "How do you cook in Ghadrik?"

Limek's lips twitched. "She does not cook. Neither the earth way nor our own."

Konani frowned at him, but her lips curved. "You'll pay for that later," she muttered, before turning back to Abby. "The particles are vibrated until they reach the desired temperature."

"Huh," Abby commented thoughtfully. Interesting.

She started to lead them from the room, when the same two cooks from breakfast entered the kitchen. They moved to the far wall to put away their jackets. Christian turned first, still fiddling with his apron ties. He smiled when he saw her, before his eyes slid to the couple beside her. He blinked owlishly.

Sophie turned around, her lips moving quickly. She froze when she saw the three of them. Abby frowned. Sure, they were not local, but that was no reason to stare. She found herself getting offended on the couple's behalf. Her thoughts stalled when the two cooks quickly crossed the room and bowed.

"Gibil Konani," they said in unison.

Abby's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Do you know each other?" She glanced back and forth between the two couples.

Konani nodded to the two cooks and after saying a quick acknowledgement of Limek, they returned to work.

"Yes," Konani said. "Should we continue the tour?"

Abby raised her eyebrows at the attempt a changing the topic. "How do you know them?"

Konani gave her a long look and seemed to realize she was not going to let it go. She gestured for Abby to follow her out into the hallway.

"They are from the prince's personal culinary staff," Konani told her once the three of them had left the kitchen behind.

Abby stared at her, all the possibilities going through her mind. Her position forced her to ask, "Is the president aware?"

"Yes," Limek answered. "It was part of a preliminary agreement."

"What do you mean? I thought the first meeting was a week ago?" She put her hands on her hips.

"The president demanded a gesture of goodwill. The prince sent the customary gift. Ghadrikan food and drink, with member of his staff to prepare the offering."

Abby tried to think of a way to phrase her question without being rude. "And Ghadrikan food is…good?"

Limek huffed out a laugh.

Konani smiled and nodded. "Yes, but it is better known for its regenerative power."

"Talk about manna from heaven," Abby muttered. "Okay," she said louder. "So, it has healing properties?"

"It prevents and repairs the breakdown of the body by disease and time."

Abby frowned. "And you gave it to us?"

Giving humanity an abnormally long lifespan seemed like a recipe for mass genocide and world war three. Not a choice she would have made, but she was sure the prince had his reasons. She would have offered a gift basket.

She started down the hall toward the library. She pointed out the Map Room, Diplomatic Room, and China Room as they passed them. She paused outside the library and turned to face Konani.

"What does 'Gibil' mean?"

"Roughly translated it mean 'fiery one'."

Abby nodded. "And it's your title?"

"Yes."

Abby hummed thoughtfully. "Cool." She gestured for them to proceed her into the room.

"This room has been a laundry room and a waiting room. It didn't become The Library until 1935," she read from the tour guide.

After a quick walk around the room the couple returned to her and she lead them across the hall. She noticed Konani seemed interested in the portraits of the First Ladies that hung in the corridor.

"Do you have a favorite?" the other woman asked, as theystepped into The Vermeil Room.

Abby glanced down at the guide and nodded. "Yes, and she's in this room." She pointed to the wall left of the door where Eleanor Roosevelt's portrait hung.

Konani moved to stand beside her, the two of them looking at the painting while Limek wandered around the room.

Abby opened her mouth to comment on the painting, when the sound of quickly approaching footsteps reached them. Limek was at Konani's side before the owner of the shoes reached the doorway. She smiled at the two of them.

The appearance of Agent Jackson's frowning face was enough to wipe the smile off her face.

"Miss Ashley, please take our guests to the rose garden. The president has invited the prince and his company to luncheon."

He turned and left without waiting for her to answer. She shook her head. Rude.


	4. Courtship Dance

**Chapter Four**

_**Courtship Dance**_

"_Courtship consists in a number of quiet attentions, not so pointed _

_as to alarm, nor so vague as not to be understood." _

_- Lawrence Sterne_

He was siting straight across the table from her. Out of the harsh fluorescent lighting, he was even more handsome. She mentally kicked herself for even thinking it.

"So," she said awkwardly, "are we having your favorites?" She watched in fascination as his lips curved up into the sexiest smile she had ever seen. She was in so much trouble.

"A few." His eyes nearly met hers, before he aborted the action. His eyes scanned the garden behind her. "I believe we are having chocolate cheesecake for dessert."

She sat up in her chair. "That's my favorite."

He nearly met her eyes, again. "Is it?" Something about his tone made her suspect he already knew.

She could not suppress her smile.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," the president said, as he strode through the doors of the Cabinet Room.

She noticed the prince's guards shifting in place. The Secret Service agents noticed as well, as they became even tenser. The agents watched the guards like they were rabid animals, poised to attack at any moment. Abby found herself getting irritated on their behalf.

She turned her gaze away from them to the watch the president take the seat at the head of the table, the prince to his right. She looked back and forth between the two men. The president face held a smug half smile, triumph in every movement he made. She glanced at the prince to see his eyes narrowed at the table top.

He did not look at the president, but he radiated tension. The meeting had clearly not gone his way. She wondered why he would deal with the man if he disliked him so much. It was odd. The president's voice, cut off her train of thought.

"Your Majesty, would you mind if Miss Ashley joins us for lunch?"

She blinked at him. She thought she was already invited. Glancing at Agent Jackson, she saw him watching the prince carefully.

"I don't mind," the prince answered, tonelessly.

She mentally flinched. "I can grab something in the kitchen. I don't want to intrude." She started to rise, when the prince raised his head to look at her.

"Please, stay," he said, the intensity in his gaze matching his words.

She stared at him. "You're sure?"

He nodded silently.

"Okay." She looked at the president. "Should I take notes?"

He was watching the prince. "I don't think that will be necessary, Miss Ashley."

After she settled back in her seat, the table fell into a tense silence. She occupied herself by watching the behavior of those around her. The president definitely pleased about something. The smirk had not left his face once since he stepped outside. Agent Jackson stood behind him on the right.

She caught him sending unreadable looks toward the guards, Konani in particular. She frowned. Konani was the prince's head advisor. She looked at the tall, redhead to see her face set in an emotionless mask. Limek, on the other hand, was showing his displeasure with an even more severe look than usual.

"Miss Ashley."

She jerked her attention to the president, who was staring at her. She looked around to see everyone had turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry. What were you saying, sir?"

His eyes slid to the prince and back to her, so fast she thought she imagined it. "I asked if you would show the ambassador the gardens."

Her eyes widened. "Um…" She could see the prince watching her from the corner of her eye. "I'm not sure that's-"

"Miss Ashley," he cut her off. "Show our guest the garden." It was no longer a request.

Nervousness bubbled in her stomach, but she forced a smile. Alone with the prince. This was going to be a nightmare of stuttering and blushing. She rose from her chair with what she hoped was gracefulness and nodded to the prince. He smiled faintly and rounded the end of the table, falling into step with her.

"I'm sorry I don't know anything about the gardens."

She wracked her mind for something to say that would not make her sound like an idiot. They passed roses of every shade, bright yellows and pretty pinks, and still the prince stayed silent. It was not until they were out of sight of the lunch gazebo, he turned his head to look down at her.

"Do you enjoy working here?"

She paused mid step. His voice was as engaging as she remembered. From so close, it seemed to vibrate in her chest. It took her a moment to realize he had asked her a question.

"I guess so." She could hear the uncertainty in her tone and from the slight turn of his head in her direction, she knew he heard it too.

"I see." He paused next to a cluster of white roses. "Do you like roses?"

She blinked at the change in topic. "They aren't my favorite, but yes."

He turned to face her, the full brunt of his appearance hitting her at once. She swallowed hard and tried to ignore the way his lips moved when he spoke.

"What do you favor?"

She licked her lips. "Uh."

He took a step toward her. "What do you find beautiful?"

His voice had taken on a warm tone and she found herself unable to keep her eyes off him. When he met her eyes for several heartbeats, it took all her willpower not to say 'you'.

"Lilies," she blurted.

"Yes," he said. "They are very beautiful." He broke eye contact and continued walking.

She hurried to catch up, her heels sinking into the ground as they reached the recently watered grass.

"Uh, sir? Your Highness?"

He immediately stopped and turned to her. "Yes."

She watched him take in her awkward steps and attempt to keep her balance. He took a step toward her and she noticed his hands clenched into tight fists. His expression was one she had never seen before; he appeared almost pained.

"Do you mind if I hold on to you until we get back on solid ground?" She tried to make it a joke, but the flood of relief in his eyes made the smile fall from her face.

He immediately moved to her side, gently taking her hand and placing it on his muscled forearm. As they began to walk together, her mind spun. He was not allowed to touch a woman without permission. No, that could not be right. She had seen him pat Konani on the shoulder. Still puzzling over the behavior, she tried to strike up a conversation.

"What is Ghadrik like?" She looked up at him to see a faint smile on his lips.

"Much like Earth. Ghadrik is comprised of one large continent, much like Earth 200 million years ago."

"And the capital city?"

If he was surprised by her knowledge, he did not show it. "Anshargal is in the south. The Shadrakin Mountains are to the west and the Guskin Coast to the south. The Great Plains are to the north and east."

She tried to picture it. A thriving city on the coast, surrounded by miles of green grass and owering mountains. She smiled. It was a screen saver.

"And you?"

She looked up to find him watching her. "Me? I'm from Missouri." She gestured vaguely. "It's nothing like this," she said looking past the garden to the White House. "It's much slower."

He cocked his head to the side, clearly interested.

" Well, I grew up in a small town near an Air Force Base. Lots of pickup trucks, zero traffic jams, and the waitress at the diner knows everyone by name."

He smiled at her description. "And your family is still there?"

She nodded. "My dad and brothers. My mom died two years ago." She looked down when her hand was enveloped by warmth.

His large hand covered hers. "I am sorry for your loss." He was staring down at their hands, a thoughtful frown on his face.

"Thank you, but I'm fine. She was sick for a long time."

He nodded at her words, but did not comment.

"What's your mother like?"

He raised his head and smiled faintly. "She is queen," he said, as if that was answer it itself.

She raised her eyebrows. "Okay?"

His smile widened, clearly thinking of his mother. "She is resolute, strong, intelligent. All that a queen should be."

Abby found herself smiling with him. "Is she nice?"

Amusement filled his eyes. "To loved ones? Most assuredly. To enemies? Definitely not."

In her mind, she pictured the queen in her armor and nodded. Her stomach suddenly let out a vicious growl.

"Do you think lunch is ready, yet?" she asked, placing her free hand over her stomach.

The prince looked toward the lunch gazebo. "Possibly." He dropped his gaze to her. "Shall we go see?"

At her nod, he led her back the way they had come. It was slow going with her heels sinking into the wet ground on every step. Almost to dry ground, her shoe caught and stayed in the mud sending her hopping forward on one foot. She made a mad grab for anything to keep her vertical.

Her hands unerringly snatched the front of the prince's suit jacket, simultaneously pulling him toward her and down to the ground. They fell in a tangle of limbs, him turning to hit the ground first and her head smacking into his chest hard enough to make her see stars. When they stopped moving, mortification, like she had never felt before, spread through her like wildfire.

His Royal Highness, the Prince of Ghadrik, lay flat on his back on the White House lawn with her sprawled across him. She was so getting fired. Breathing hard and feeling the heat of his body beneath her palms, she slowly raised her eyes to look at his face.

"I'm so sorry!" she said, trying to untangle her legs from his. "I'm not usually this clumsy."

His chest vibrated beneath her palms and she paused her frantic movements to give him a confused look. He let out a low chuckle. At her open-mouthed stare, he laughed harder. His eyes crinkled in amusement and he threw his head back to let out a deep belly laugh. She sat up straighter, no longer concerned about her position on top of him, and blatantly stared.

She thought he was handsome before, but it was nothing compared to how he looked when he was happy. Her own smile widened and finally bloomed into a giggle to join his laughter. She was not sure how long they laughed together, but when the amusement tapered off she became aware of his hands on her hips. She told herself it was not completely wonderful.

She gave him a polite smile and stood, careful not to brush against him any more than she had to. Her hips felt colder without the heat of his hands. She ignored it. After standing and adjusting her clothes, asked the prince if he needed help standing. He shook his head and climbed to his feet smoothly.

She had to be professional. She could not let her feelings compromise her job. She continued to tell herself that as the prince followed her back to the gazebo.

…

Nothing in the world felt as good as having her in his arms. The sunlight caught the reds and browns in her dark hair, giving her a halo as she leaned over him. Her weight settled across his hips and he wanted to groan at how right it felt. Her soft hands were on his chest, long fingers splayed across the expensive fabric of his suit.

After a moment, she raised her head to look at him. He took in her shocked face and messy hair and wanted to kiss her so bad it was almost painful.

"I'm so sorry! I'm not usually this clumsy."

The more she moved the more amusing the situation became. He had finally gotten her into his arms and it was an accident. Laughter bubbled up from his chest at the ridiculousness of it all. She moved her hands across his chest and looked up at him with a perplexed expression. He laughed harder.

When she began to laugh with him, it was single most perfect moment in his life. Her eyes sparkled when she was happy, the grey lightening to a bright silver. All too soon, she stopped. Emotions crossed her face too quick to process, and then she was climbing off him. He did not realize his hands were on her hips until she moved away.

He watched her retreat behind a wall of propriety. It seemed he had all of her for

a moment. The moment did not last nearly long enough. He sighed to himself and stood. She started walking toward the gazebo without looking at him, again.

The human leader smiled when they returned to the table. Abigail nodded to his questioning, telling the man she had showed him the gardens. The president turned his gaze to him.

"Did you enjoy your tour?"

To an outside observer, he had no doubt the question sounded polite. He was the only one who could see the calculating gleam in the other man's eyes.

"Yes." He hoped the human would leave him alone. He did not.

"What did you think?"

Edric retook his chair across from Abigail and turned his head to pin the president with a dark look. The man had no idea who he was toying with. Yes, he had agreed to trade technology in return for time to court Abigail, but that did not mean the man could make a nuisance of himself. The president clearly did not see it that way. Edric scowled.

"Beautiful," he answered.

He watched the man's gaze slide to Abigail. "I'm glad you think so."

Before the man could say anything else, the kitchen staff served lunch. He was familiar with every dish, as part of the agreement was exposing Abigail to Ghadrikan culture. Konani agreed it was best to start with the cuisine. He watched Abigail's face carefully, as she sampled a forkful of essuru, a large flightless bird.

She chewed slowly and licked her lips after she swallowed the bite. She immediately went back for more. He looked down at his own plate and wondered what she would like best. Apsu, a deep water fish, shared the plate with the essuru, salmu, and sisu. The sisu, a four-legged grazing animal, was on the gamey side. He had killed it mere hours ago to insure it was fresh for her.

The salmu, a black, flying reptile, had taken a bite out of him while he was hunting it. He hoped the wound would form an impressive scar to show Abigail later. Her voice drew his attention from his plate.

"Your Majesty? What is this?" She scooped up some of the sisu and dipped it in the spicy sauce that accompanied it. "It's really good."

He smiled slightly. "It's called sisu. The sauce is called isatum."

"See-su?"

He nodded. It was close enough. He watched her take another fork full to her mouth and chew thoughtfully.

"It's good on its own, but I like the isa-toom," she said.

He smiled. They could work on her pronunciation later.

"The prince is a hunter, Miss Ashley."

He looked up at the president's words. The man was watching Abigail closely, as if waiting for a reaction. She continued to eat sedately. After a moment, she seemed to notice the gazes fastened on her.

"That's nice," she said.

"I understood you to be an animal welfare advocate," the president said with a small frown.

Edric scowled. He could see where this was going.

"That is commendable," he said to Abigail, ignoring the president.

"I have no problem with hunting for food," Abigail said slowly, as if considering her words. "It's hunting for sport, I dislike."

"I see," the president said.

She looked over at him, obviously noticing the irritation in his tone. "Sir?"

He waved her off. "I was concerned it may upset you."

Edric narrowed his eyes. Lies.

"Oh. Thank you for your concern." She finished the last of her food and sat back in her seat.

Sotia and Kriskanos immediately approached the table, Sotia asking Abigail if she would like anything else. Abigail smiled and shook her head.

"No, thank you. I'm fine, Sophie."

It was strange to hear the human name applied to one of his own. He had almost forgotten Konani had insisted upon it. Watching Abigail smile at the two cooks, he was pleased he had agreed.

"Water is fine."

After Kriskanos refilled her water glass, the two of them left with her empty plate. She raised her eyes to look across the table at him. He lowered his gaze to his plate.

"You're not hungry?"

He glanced up. She was frowning at his nearly full plate.

"I find I have no appetite," he said simply.

"No appetite for food, maybe," the president muttered under his breath, just loud enough for him to hear.

He sent the man a dark look and noticed Desta's hand move to the blade she kept hidden under her forearm guards. Her hazel eyes moved to him, waiting for the order to cut the man down. He shook his head. She visibly sighed and sent her mate, Roshan, a set upon look. The blonde inched closer to her and the dark-skinned woman relaxed slightly.

His guards were not used to being so forgiving. In truth, neither was he. He watched Abigail sip at her water, her gaze moving over his guards. For her, he was willing to tolerate snide remarks and mild disrespect. Until she was at his side. Then, the disrespectful human leader would die along with the insolent Agent Jackson.

"I used to be a hunter, myself," she said, breaking the silence that had fallen.

"What is your weapon of choice?" He noticed the agent watching them from the corner of his eye.

"Both rifle and bow, but I had been learning black powder rifle before-" she broke off.

"Before your mother's illness?" the president asked.

Edric did not like his tone. He was intentionally pressing on an emotional bruise. He was proven correct with the man's next words.

"She was your adoptive mother, correct?"

Abigail's eyes snapped up to look at the president and, though she did not speak, he saw a flash of fire in her eyes.

"Yes. My parents adopted me when I was four weeks old." She seemed to be daring the man to insult them.

He possessed enough wisdom to simply nod.

The lunch ended soon after, Abigail giving him a polite smile before she followed the president into the White House. He felt her absence immediately, but he was careful to keep his face free of emotion. He led his guards to a cluster of trees on the South Lawn. The White House guards watched them closely, but none of them interfered when the portal opened and they stepped through.

The world was a starburst of lights and sounds for three breathless seconds. Then, like being reborn, the gateway opened in Anshargal's city center. Air rushed in to fill his empty lungs and the dizzying array of stars formed into one large one overhead. Damkianna, the star of Ghadrik bathed the land in light stronger than the Earth's Sun. As always, he felt the tug toward Earth and Abigail, but he set it aside.

"Your Highness, the queen wishes to see you."

He looked over his shoulder to see Konani standing near one of his mother's guards. The other woman bowed to him in respect, before muttering something under her breath to Konani. Konani nodded and the woman turned away. He raised an eyebrow at Konani and she smiled.

"Gol is more active than usual."

He tensed at the mention of his father, but nodded. He gestured for Desta to approach him. After giving her mate a saucy wink, she strode over to stand in front of him.

"Your Highness," she said, all business.

"Hunting implements for Abigail," he said simply.

Her lips curved. "Already planning, Ambassador."

He nodded. "I will come to your workshop after I meet with the queen."

Konani was at his side before he turned away. She nodded in the direction of the palace and fell into step with him. The central courtyard of the city spanned over 20 square miles. An avenue bisected the space. The majority of the square was the business district of the city. The center pyramid held the center of trade, office of interdimensional travel, and central court system.

The smaller pyramids along the edge of the avenue, while still twice the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza on Earth, held shops, restaurants, and the living space for those who chose to live away from the beach and valley. Under the bright light of Damkianna, the pyramids shown a brilliant, marble white.

Edric had always found the city to be beautiful, far more attractive than the buildings of earth. He looked around fondly. The people of the Anshargal bowed to him in respect as they passed, clothed in robes of every color of the rainbow. The women often with accessories in contrasting colors to draw attention to their flashy weaponry. Edric paused next to Konani to wait for the enlil.

It appeared as a small dot on the horizon, approaching quickly. The craft slowed and finally stopped just overhead. In one smooth maneuver, it sank to the ground and the silver side panel slide aside revel the plush interior. Konani entered the craft and settled on the soft bench. Edric started to follow her when a flash of metal caught his eye.

He glanced to his left to see small group of women walking down the stone promenade just beside the enlil loading dock. The glint came from the hilt of a dagger worn on the hip of one of the women. He started toward them and the group paused to look at him.

"Who is your armorer, ninti?" he asked politely.

The woman pulled the dagger from its sheath, examining it. "Just there, Your Highness." She gestured to the nearest pyramid on the left.

"Thank you." He started to turn away, when she called out to him. He turned to see her holding the dagger out to him.

"You want it for your courting gift?"

He nodded.

She exchanged smiles with the other women. "Then, take it. I wish you luck in your future bonding."

"You are far too generous, ninti. I thank you for such a gift," he said formally, taking the gift with both hands to show his gratitude.

The dagger was far more extravagant in close proximity. The hilt was covered in dozens of flawless rainbow diamonds, reflecting the colors of nature every time the light hit it. The blade itself was precision cut and he could see it had been lovingly honed to razor sharpness. The gift was priceless. He raised his eyes to tell the woman he could not accept it only to find the group had moved on in his distraction.

"Your Highness," Konani called. "The Queen awaits."

Gripping the dagger, his lips turned up into a small smile. He crossed to the enlil and climbed in next to his head advisor, the panel sliding closed silently. The craft rose steadily and moved toward the center of the square. The large front window showed the ground flowing below them at an impossible speed, the stone avenue giving way to the city park surrounding the royal palace.

After a handful of minutes, the palace came into view. It was blinding white in the midday light. The enlil slowed and finally stopped, landing on the front lawn. Enric hopped out as soon as the panel slid open. He waited for Konani to join him before walking toward his home.

"My son," his mother said, the moment he entered the throne room.

He studied her as he approached. She appeared paler and thinner than the last time he saw her. Her usually luxurious hair was wane and dull, hanging limply around her face. She sat with her back perfectly straight, but he could see small tremors shaking her shoulders.

"You're not well."

She gave him a small smile. "I did not call you here to discuss my health, son."

He paused at the base of the steps to the throne and looked up at her. "Nonetheless."

The motherly warmth fled her eyes at his tone. "You forget yourself, Ambassador."

He ducked his head. "I apologize for my lack of respect."

He knelt on one knee and crossed his right arm across his chest. When he raised his head, her gaze had thawed. She studied him closely.

"What is that?" she asked, her eyes on the dagger.

"A courtship gift for Abigail."

"She has acknowledged you?" his mother asked, obviously pleased.

He paused. He was not sure he could consider her behavior accepting. She had yet to tell him he could approach her. If she had not asked for assistance, he would not have been allowed to take her arm in the garden. For the thousandth time, he wondered if there were a better way to approach her. He looked down at the dagger in his hands. Perhaps, it would please her.

"Not yet."

His mother shifted in place. "Have you not made her aware of your feelings?" she asked sharply.

He frowned to himself. "I have not met her gaze. What more can I do to show her the high esteem in which I hold her?"

"She is from Earth. What is so obvious to us is not to them."

He looked at her sharply.

"I mean no offense, my son."

He sighed. "I know. I apologize." He reached up to loosen his tie. "I am merely irritated with the human governments."

"Which brings us to the business I have called you here to discuss. The Dorn have been far more active of late."

Mention of his father's people made him tense. He had met his father only five times in his life, none of the meetings had been pleasant. While the man adored his mother, he had very little interest in his son. Edric preferred it that way.

"What have they done?"

The Queen visibly sighed. "Caern has chosen to supply that rebel group with weaponry."

"The one you were following in Eastern Europe?"

She nodded. "The skirmish has bloomed into a small war. The Russian government is trying to contain the situation, but…"

Edric scowled. "Anything else?"

In a fluid move, his mother stood from the throne to descend the steps. "Always. The Dorn are warmongers, you know this." She stopped in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"What more is there, mother?" He did not fail to noticed the way her lips quirked up at the title.

The smile fell away when she began to speak. "Caern has chosen to show the government of China a better way to control the rising population."

He looked into his mother's eyes, so much like his own, and saw true concern. If it was enough to concern his war-hardened mother, it was surely a nightmare scenario.

"What has he done?"

She backed away from him and began to pace. "He is trying to convince them to selectively sterilize certain parts of the population."

He stared at her. "That is in complete violation of the galactic alliance."

She gave him a darkly amused look. "You think he does not know that?"

"And Gol approves of his second's actions?"

She gave a helpless shrug. "Arammu or no, he is a Dorn King. Violence is in his nature. As it is in ours."

"But we have the decency to stay neutral," he argued.

She waved him off. "It is no use concerning yourself over. Your bondmate is away from it. Soon, she will be here and the affairs of Earth will no longer concern her."

He frowned. He doubted Abigail would turn her back on her world so easily. Especially with her family there.

"The Raena crown has passed to the King's eldest daughter," she said, when he continued to stand silently.

He considered the news. The Raena were the only visiting civilization that had never interacted with the humans. They believed in keeping the human world free of outside corruption. Unfortunately, the Dorn had been interfering in the events of Earth since the people discovered agriculture. His people, while living among the humans, took a much less malicious stance.

"Princess Kaleen?"

His mother nodded. "She spent a year among humanity a few decades ago. It has apparently inspired her to take over rule from her father." She shrugged. "It hardly matters."

Edric considered her words and nodded. "True. I doubt new rule will change their approach."

"Do you have any plans to interfere with Gol's actions?"

The Queen paused in her pacing and turned to face him. "You know I will not stand against him unless he violates the treaty."

And he did know that. It was the nature of the Arammu bond. Queen Loreet had come close to breaking the treaty only once and it was in defense of him. Caern never approved of his king being forced to bond with a Ghadrikan. While he was unable to harm the queen, because it would also harm his king, he had chosen to channel all of his anger toward their child. Edric had a very healthy amount of hatred toward the man.

"Is there anything else I should know?" The conversation was making him weary.

"Yes," Queen Loreet answered. She approached him, stopping in front of him to meet his gaze. "Caern has shown an interest in your Abigail's country. He has met with their leader twice. I can only assume he intends to offer them the weaponry you would not."

"Their weapons are inferior to ours," he said with a scowl. "I have already offered them defensive measures."

She gave him a hard look. "They do not want to defend, they want to advance. And inferior or not, the Dorn weapons are far advanced to anything they currently possess."

Edric fought to control his anger. Caern was near Abigail. "What do you suggest I do?"

"Impress upon the government the superiority of our weaponry."

"And then?" he asked.

"Suggest that information may be discovered by your bondmate if she spends a few days here."

He frowned. "I will not bring her against her will."

"Does she show interest in you?" his mother asked. At his nod, she raised an eyebrow. "Then, invite her to visit. Perhaps, you may convince her to accept your courtship proposal."


	5. Black Waves

**Chapter Five**

_**Black Waves**_

"_As soon as there is life, there is danger." _

_- Ralph Waldo Emerson_

She followed the president through the halls of the White House silently. The man had not looked at her since they left the table and she got the impression he was angry about the lunch. Which was another thing on her mind. There had been no discussion of anything worthy of note taking, yet Agent Jackson had said she had to be there.

She frowned to herself. Her presence at lunch had been pointless. Aside from showing the prince the garden and falling on him, she had not accomplished anything. She doubted the president would be pleased to know about her little tumble with a foreign dignitary. She tried not to think about the various ways that statement could be taken.

"Miss Ashley."

She jerked her head up to see she was standing in the middle of the hallway outside The Oval Office. In her inattention, others had joined them. She glanced at the three men and blinked in surprise. Slowly, she turned her head back to them for a double take. They were definitely not human.

While she knew, from a purely scientific perspective, the prince was not human, he certainly could pass as human. These men could not. They were tall, strongly built, and green. She blinked several times to be sure. It was no trick of the light, they were a dusky green. None of them were looking in her direction, so she felt a little less guilty about staring.

From her position several feet away, she could see their skin was textured but she could not make out the interesting pattern. She craned her neck to get a better look.

"Miss Ashley."

She snapped to attention. "Sir."

The president watched her carefully, probably waiting to see if she was done gawking. She could feel her cheeks heating in embarrassment.

"These are the Dorn ambassadors."

The who? She hoped her face did not appear as clueless as she felt. Agent Jackson had not mentioned another alien race in the White House. Her mind spinning a mile a minute, she forced a small smile.

"Pleased to meet you," she said politely.

As one, the three turned to look at her. There was something dangerous and calculating about the way they stared at her. The one closest to the president stared at her with shining black eyes, devoid of any emotion. He did not blink.

"Lord Caern, this is my assistant, Abigail. She will be happy to assist you with anything you may need."

She internally balked at the president's words. No, she would not. She would prefer to be on the other side of the building from the disturbing gaze of the man. She gave a small nod.

"How pleasant," Lord Caern said. Everything about his tone said the opposite. He spoke as if she were something foul he had stepped in.

She fought not to bristle. As if he could see her inner struggle, his lipless mouth curled into a sharp smile. A moment later, the tip of what she assumed was his tongue snaked out and flicked in the air. Her eyes widened.

As the appendage slithered back into his mouth, he gave her an unreadable look, his gaze sliding over her.

"The Ghadrikan Ambassador was here?" he asked the president. She noticed the ridges above his eyes were drawn together in a scowl.

The president glanced at her. He pursed his lips and motioned for her to come closer. She kept her eyes of the three men to his left. Caern, the closest, watched her with an expression she could not identify. She had a feeling it was unpleasant. She paused in front of the president and forced herself to focus on him.

"Candace should be off by now. Why don't you go ahead home?"

She nodded quickly, more than happy to get away from the man making alarm bells sound in her head.

"I'll see you tomorrow, sir."

She walked away from them slightly faster than her usual walk. If she had not been wearing the uncomfortable shoes, she would have sprinted. She did not slow until she was outside the office where Candace worked. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she raised her hand and knocked.

"Come on in," Candace muttered, just loud enough to be heard.

Abby pushed open the door and popped her head in. The office was empty save for Candace's small desk near the door. The dark-skinned woman looked up at her, raising one eyebrow.

"Well?"

"I'm off." At Candace's unimpressed look, she shrugged. "I'm going home."

Candace looked away from her to the paperwork spread across her desk. She seemed to be mentally calculating the amount of work. After a moment, she looked up.

"Fine. Hold on."

She shuffled the papers into four separate stacks. Abby was not sure how her organizational system worked and from the frown on the other woman's face, she was not going to ask. In minutes, Candace had cleaned her desk and grabbed her purse.

"Come on, then."

Abby moved back from the doorway to let Candace lead the way. Even after a week, she was still prone to getting lost. Outside, the usual car was waiting for them. That was another puzzling thing. She was unsure why a car was provided for them. It seemed to show favoritism, if nothing else.

"Saw the prince's party today," Candace said casually.

Abby glanced at her to see the other woman smirking. She nodded. "Another meeting."

"That is one fine man," Candace continued. "What do you think?"

Abby eyes widened, before she looked out the window. "Which one?"

"The prince." Her tone implied she thought Abby was being dense.

"I guess so," she muttered, trying very hard not to think of how it felt to be close to the man.

"That older guy's not half bad, either."

Abby looked back at her. Probably Limek. "He's bonded."

Candace shrugged. "Doesn't mean I can't look."

Abby snorted. "You may rethink that if you met his Arammu. She's about 6'3"."

Candace gave her a considering look. "You've met all of them? I've heard they don't talk to any of us."

It was Abby's turn to shrug. "I met the prince's advisor, Konani, and his captain of the guard, Limek."

"What are they like? Jamie in the second floor administration office said the blonde woman looked like she wanted to eat her."

Abby snorted. "I seriously doubt that. No, they are…" She trailed off and frowned. "Well, I guess they are like us, just a little more…fierce." She nodded to herself. That was the perfect word.

Candace nodded silently. A moment later, the car pulled up in front of the triplex and they stepped out onto the sidewalk. She would never get used to the sheer domesticity of the neighborhood. The white buildings in perfectly straight lines, separated by a square of grass every few buildings. It was a far cry from the wide open space of her hometown.

"Are you in for the night?" Candace asked when they separated to go to their apartments.

Abby unlocked the front door and nodded. "I've got about three hours of Big Bang Theory to get caught up on."

Candace sent a confused look. "Whatever, girl. I'm going out in about an hour. Let me know if you want to come."

Abby nodded. "Will do."

She stepped into her apartment and shut the door behind her, flipping the lock. As she turned around, she paused. Something was different. She gently set her keys in the bowl by the door and crept further into the living room. Her eyes scanned over the generic furniture that came with the apartment.

Standing next to the couch, she looked down. The carpet was indented six inches to the left of the sofa. She frowned. The couch had been moved. Once she noticed it, she saw several other things had been moved slightly. The small kitchen table looked like it had been bumped and several of the pictures on the wall were tilted out of alignment.

She stood in the middle of the room and spun slowly. Now that she was truly looking, even the table inside the door had been moved. Someone had been in her apartment. The thought sent a surge of irritation through her. It was probably Agent Jackson's doing. She scowled and stomped into the kitchen to grab a Diet Coke.

She would follow through with her evening plans and not give the foul man the satisfaction of a phone call. Plopping down on the couch, she flipped on the TV. After a few minutes, she realized she was too agitated to watch it. She tossed the remote on the couch cushion beside her and rose to grab the cellphone from the kitchen drawer where she kept it.

Jackson answered on the first ring. "What is it, Miss Ashley?"

She ignored his annoyed tone. He was not the only one with reason to be annoyed.

"Was someone in my apartment?"

"What?" he asked sharply.

She heard him cover the mouthpiece of the phone and muffled shouting in the background, before he came back on the line.

"What exactly happened?" The annoyed tone was gone, replaced by one that was all business.

She frowned but told him what she had noticed. She heard car doors slamming in the background.

"Sir?" His behavior was starting to concern her. "It was your agents in here, right?"

There was more muffled shouting on his end. "No," he finally said. "I will be there in five. Go to Miss Williams' apartment and wait there."

Her eyes narrowed at the order, but she started toward the front door. "Will do."

He instructed her to stay on the line until she was in Candace's apartment. She disconnected when she was standing in the other woman's living room.

"Well?" Candace stared at her with her hands on her hips. "What's going on?"

"Someone was in my apartment."

Her arms fell to hang at her sides. "You're kidding?"

"Nope." Abby shook her head and took the opportunity to look around.

Candace's apartment was much nicer than her own, she noticed. Probably had something to do with the personal possessions. All of hers were gone. She wandered over to the fireplace mantle to look at the framed photographs. Candace followed her, still looking a bit shaken.

"Did you call someone?"

Abby nodded looking over the pictures. "Agent Jackson will be here in a few minutes." She caught Candace's nod from the corner of her eye.

She noticed Candace was in every picture with the same few people. The central picture was taken on a beach. A kind-faced older man with pure white hair and dark skin stood in the back. To his right was a pale woman with windblown blonde hair. She was smiling widely.

An older woman stood on the man's left. Her blue eyes were crinkled at the corners from years of smiling. She held hands with the man. Candace stood next to the blonde woman, one arm slung over her shoulders. She was smiling brightly. The last figure was a woman with long, dark hair and pale skin. Her eyes were a light blue, almost gray.

"My family," Candace said, drawing her attention.

Abby looked at her. "They look nice."

Candace smiled slightly. "Yes." Her voice took on a strange accent, for a moment. When she spoke again, it was gone.

She moved forward to point at the man in the picture. "My father, Sam. That's my youngest sister, Janet." She pointed at the blonde woman. "My mother, Martha, is on my father's left. And that's my oldest sister, Kalie."

Abby found her eyes drawn to the oldest daughter. She was smiling gently, a hand on the shoulder of both of her sisters as she stood a bit behind them. The whole family was wearing light weight beachwear.

"Family vacation?" Abby guessed.

"Barbados."

"Nice."

Candace shrugged and moved away. Abby scanned the rest of the pictures. One was in front of a palace. The family wore crowns and clothing reminiscent of renaissance Europe. Abby assumed it was a shot taken for fun. She moved on to the next one. A picture when Candace and her sisters were younger.

The eldest, Kalie, stood behind her sisters in a position that spoke of a protective nature. Candace wrinkled her nose at the camera, her youngest sister's lips pressed against her cheek. Abby grinned.

"I always wondered what it would be like to have sisters," she murmured, mostly to herself.

"It's nice," Candace said from behind her.

Before she could reply, the front door swung open. Agent Jackson strode into the living room without bothering to knock. He quickly scanned the room and turned to face her.

"When did you get home?" he demanded.

She blinked at him. "Um, about-"

He cut her off with a slashing motion. "Be specific. What time did you get into the apartment? Did you hear or notice anything other than the objects being moved?"

She glanced at Candace. "2:15?"

Candace nodded. "2:20 at the latest."

Agent Jackson looked back and forth between them. "Stay with Ms. Williams," he said, after a moment, and walked out the open front door.

Abby watched him until the door slammed shut. Seconds later, loud banging came from the wall between Candace's apartment and her own, followed by the sound of breaking glass.

"Good thing none of that stuff is mine," she mumbled.

Candace snorted, but did not reply. She moved away from her to perch on her sofa.

Abby sighed when the noise continued. She was going to have a lot to clean up. Shaking her head, she wandered over to sit next to the other woman. As she leaned back, a loud crash rang through the air. She decided it was probably the vase inside the door. She sighed.

The racket suddenly stopped when a cellphone began to ring. It stopped almost immediately. She did not hear a voice answer, but the front door to her apartment slammed a second later. She turned around on the couch to face the Candace's front door. It flew open and Agent Jackson paused in the doorway dramatically. She raised her eyebrows at the scowl on his face.

"There's been a change." He gestured for her to follow him.

"What kind of change," she asked, scrambling off the couch.

She trailed him to the parking lot, unsurprised when he impatiently motioned for her to get in the back of a black SUV. She barely got her feet inside before the door slammed shut. Frowning, she watched Jackson round the back of the vehicle and climb in on the other side. He nodded to the driver.

The car began moving immediately. They picked up speed once they left the parking lot, taking a few back streets and alleys. She tore her eyes away from the quickly moving scenery and looked at Agent Jackson.

"What's going on?" She stared at him expectantly, barely suppressing the urge to cross her arms.

He glanced at her and put on his sunglasses. "You will be acting as a representative of the United States for the rest of today."

She raised an eyebrow. "In what way?"

"The Ambassador, Prince Edric, has requested your presence on a visit to his capital city of Anshargal."

She knew her mouth was hanging open, but she could not seem to close it. "I don't understand. I'm not a diplomat, or a soldier, or a…whatever else. I'm a glorified secretary!"

"I don't have time to hold your hand, Miss Ashley."

She glared. "Why am I being sent to another world without any kind of training or anything? I could be killed or worse."

His lips pressed into a flat line, and when he spoke his tone was like ice. "Miss Ashley, listen to me very closely." He turned his head to look at her. "You will go with Prince Edric's party, you will observe everything, and you will report back to me."

She stared at her own reflection in his sunglasses and saw her eyes narrow. "I am not a soldier. Sir," she added as an afterthought.

"Which is precisely why you will go and do your job."

"I was not aware spying was in my job description," she said.

The SUV pulled into the driveway and stopped outside the door. Jackson continued to stare at her. Finally, he looked away and pushed open the door. She started to follow him out of the backseat, when he was suddenly in her face. Gasping in surprise, only his grip on her arms kept her from falling out of the car.

His body was mere inches from hers, pining her inside the vehicle. She could do nothing but stare at her own reflection in his sunglasses, until he took a step back. She warily watched him back away, her heart still beating faster than usual. He paused a few feet from her and his lips curled into a sneer. With a nod, he turned and walked away.

She blinked. Message received. With a deep breath, she climbed out of the SUV and straightened her clothes. She had a job to do. It may not be her job, but she was going to do it. She gave the guard at the door a small smile when he held open the door for her. She walked down the hall and very pointedly did not think of falling on the prince.

…

"I fail to see the problem," Voski was saying, when he entered the room.

He glanced away from the humans long enough to give him a short bow. He returned it with a nod. He crossed his arms over his chest to watch his foreign trade officer negotiate. Nitya stood at her bond mate's elbow, clearly ready to assist if she was needed. She glanced at him and amusement flashed across her face.

Edric smirked internally. Voski and Nitya were unbeatable as a unit. Voski had a way of finding the one thing a foreign power was willing to give anything to get. When he had done his part, Nitya moved in to provide a wide range of alternatives. She was careful to only give options she wanted the humans to choose. Nearly half a dozen versions of the same thing.

The president's cabinet sat stone-faced listening to the offer. When silence finally fell, he knew he had gotten what he wanted. The rest was only details. He gave the president a curt nod and strode from the room. Abby was spending the afternoon and evening with him. Some alterations had to be made, but he was sure she would be pleased with the evening's plans.

As if his thoughts had summoned her, she rounded the corner. Her face was pale and a small wrinkle between her eyes showed that her mind was troubled. He frowned and watched her walk toward him with her eyes on the floor. It was not until she was almost on top of him, that she jerked her gaze up to meet his.

He was caught by the turbulent emotions swirling in her grey eyes. Meeting her gaze for far longer that was proper, before he gained control of himself and looked away.

"Miss Ashley," he said, as he fastened his gaze just over her head.

Her shoulders were tense, but she nodded to him. "Your Majesty. I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

He was not sure what to think of her tone. She seemed shaken, as if she were nervous or afraid.

"Are you alright, Miss Ashley?"

She paused. "Of course."

The lie was almost painful. He nodded. "What brings you here? I was lead to believe you had left for the day."

She looked away. "Agent Jackson said I am supposed to go with you."

He could hear the resentment in her tone. His eyes met hers. "You have a choice."

She gave him a humorless smile. "Of course."

She had been told to go with him. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. She did not want to spend time with him. It was close enough to a rejection to make his chest hurt. He started to turn away.

"I would have agreed if I had been asked," she said softly.

He paused, back still to her. Before he could reply, Nitya strolled out of the cabinet room looking pleased with herself. Voski followed a few steps behind, gazing at her with pride. She glanced over her shoulder at him and Voski gave her a slow smile. Edric cleared his throat before they could get carried away with each other.

Nitya stopped in front of him and bowed. "Our business has concluded, Your Majesty. Miss Ashley will be returned to her place of residence at midnight local time."

Her eyes rose and found Abigail. "Nice to meet you, Miss Ashley." She glanced at him for permission to approach her.

He nodded and watched her pass him to talk to Abigail.

"You can call me, Abby. No one calls me Abigail."

He watched the two shake hands before he turned back to Voski. The other man was watching the two women, his eyes soft on his mate.

"She managed to convince them that Miss Ashley's visit was in their best interest. By the end, they thought it was their idea," Voski murmured in Ghad.

Edric's lips twitched in amusement. "I'm not surprised. Come. I grow tired of the smell of humans."

"All except your own," Voski shot back with a smile.

Edric smiled slightly, as he turned to approach Abigail.

The women's conversation paused when they saw him coming their way. Abigail turned to face him and he took a moment to drink her in. Nitya's presence had relaxed her slightly. He met Nitya's eyes and she nodded.

"We are ready to depart. Would you prefer to pass through with Nitya or myself?"

He watched her consider it, fighting to keep his emotions off his face. Her eyes drifted to Nitya.

"You, if it's not too much trouble."

He barely kept the surprise out of his tone. "No trouble."

He stood next to her awkwardly, wanting to offer his arm, but not allowed to make an overture. She glanced at him. After a moment, she cleared her throat.

"I'm a little tired from wearing these shoes all day. Do you mind if I hold on to your arm?"

"Of course not." He gently tucked her hand in the crook on his arm and led the way toward the South Lawn, careful to keep the smile off his face.

Her hand was relaxed until they approached the portal. Then, her slender fingers gripped his arm tighter with each step. He ducked his head to explain the airlessness and chaos of the trip, but she was focused on the visible disturbance in the air ahead of them.

By the time they stepped into the portal, her hand was like a vice. He rested his hand over hers in an attempt to calm her. She continued to cling to him when they emerged, blinking hard and muttering under her breath. She seemed to suddenly realize she was on an alien world.

She froze. Eyes wide, she turned in a circle on the arrival and departure platform. He was vaguely aware of others pausing to look at her with interest. He jerked his eyes away from her awestruck face to glance around. Everyone went about their business.

"Would you like to see the palace?"

"What? Oh, yes." She looked at him quickly. "Is that an actual pyramid? How many are there? Is all of this one city? What's that?"

He smiled. "Yes. Over forty. Yes. An enlil, a personal transport craft."

She nodded to his answers, eyes fastened on the enlil. She drifted toward it, pulling him behind her. He doubted she realized she still had a hold of his arm.

"How does it work?" she asked, as she ran her hands over the seamless metal hull. "Does it open? Where's the door?"

His smile widened. He had been concerned she would be terrified. He had apparently underestimated her.

"It is essentially antigravity," he answered her first question.

To answer the second, he placed his hand on the side panel of the enlil and the door panel disconnected from the side wall to reveal the door. Abigail made an excited sound and moved closer, peering into the bright interior.

"It looks like a ridiculously nice limousine inside," she murmured, seemingly to herself. She started to climb in and paused. "Where are we going?"

He could not seem to stop smiling. "The palace first. I would like you to meet Queen Loreet. Then, I have a few ideas how we may spend the afternoon."

Her smile faded slightly and a worried frown creased her brow. "Your mother?"

He nodded, wondering at her change in mood. "She will be pleased to meet you."

She gave him a doubtful look, but nodded. She climbed into the enlil and he took the seat next to her. He had almost forgotten about Nitya and Voski, when they took the seat behind them. Abigail's smile returned full force when the door slid shut and the enlil lifted off the ground.

"What's in that one?" she asked, pointing at a pyramid along the main avenue.

"An armory."

"Does Desta work there?" she asked, not looking away from the window.

"She works at the royal armory," he answered automatically. He paused. "How do you know Desta is an armorer?"

"Agent Jackson told me."

He wondered what else the man had told her. He doubted the humans knew much about their world. The enlil moved quickly past the central courtyard to the royal plaza and the immense palace. Abigail whistled lowly.

"The palace?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at him.

For a moment, he was struck by the sight of her. The light streamed through the window to create a halo around her beautiful face. He swallowed hard.

"Yes."

"And you live there?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, as the enlil landed on the grass in front of the palace.

He gestured for Nitya and Voski to proceed them, before he stepped back and waited for Abigail. His heart warmed when she held her hand out for him to help her from the enlil. She held his arm until they reached the entryway of the palace. Then, her hand fell away in her distraction.

She looked around with wide eyes, her gaze never staying long on one thing before moving on to the next. Nitya and Voski walked past them, Nitya giving him an amused look as she passed. She sent a fond smile toward Abigail, before they vanished around a corner. He immediately turned back to Abigail, only to find she had moved away from him to wander down the hall toward the throne room.

He hurried after her. She glanced at him when he stopped on her right and she gave him a bright smile.

"This is so amazing. It's like the Palace of Versailles, but…" she gestured to the wealth of precious metals and priceless stones. "It's so much more."

He watched her crane her head back to see the ceiling so far above her head. She shook her head, as if shaking off the amazement and moved down the hall. He caught up to her just outside the throne room and turned to face her. She looked at him fully for the first time since they had arrived on Ghadrik.

"This is the throne room."

Her eyes moved from him to the massive double doors and back. She visibly swallowed. "Okay."

"Queen Loreet is expecting us."

She nodded. "Okay."

He looked at her too wide eyes with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she said, raising her chin.

He suppressed a smile. "After you." He pushed open the right hand door for her to enter the room and ducked in after her.

His mother's gaze snapped to them and fixed on Abigail immediately. She flowed up from her throne to stand at the top of the platform, watching them approach. He stopped several feet from the base of the stairs and bowed deeply.

"My queen."

He glanced to his right to see Abigail mimicking his actions. She raised her head and met his mother's eyes.

"Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty."

His mother glanced at him, curiosity in her gaze. She raised her eyebrows.

"It's is nice to meet you, human."

He saw Abigail's nose wrinkle. "Abby, please."

His mother cocked her head to the side. "Alright. Abby, then." She descended the stairs to come to a stop in front of Abigail. "I insist you call me Loreet."

He stared at her. Never in his recollection had she allowed anyone to call her by her first name. When she looked at him, he saw her amusement at his confusion. She hooked Abigail's elbow with her own.

"So, Abby, what brings you here?" he heard her ask, as she led Abigail down the length of the room.

He turned to follow their progress with his eyes.

"I'm not sure. His Majesty, the prince, has plans but I'm not sure what they are."

His mother nodded. "I believe he wishes to take you hunting. It is a…bonding experience among our people."

"Really?" Abby asked, sounding interested. "Why is that?"

Halfway down the throne room, he had to struggle to hear his mother answer.

"In a challenging situation, it is easy to see the nature of a person."

He could not hear Abigail's answer. They continued to walk, arm in arm, away from him. As he watched them, he considered his mother's behavior. She was not cold by nature, but he had never seen her converse freely with a stranger. She had immediately put Abigail at ease. That, if nothing else, convinced him she accepted his choice.


	6. Dangerous Silence

**I live for reviews. Chocolate and reviews. Mostly reviews. - Anon.**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

_**Dangerous Silence**_

"_Actions lie louder than words."_

_- Carolyn Wells_

She was not sure how she felt about the clothing she had been given. According to Nitya, it was the standard attire for hunting on Ghadrik. While extremely comfortable, she worried it left too little to the imagination. The blonde woman had retrieved her from the throne room soon after the queen had taken her leave. She had taken her to a large bathing chamber on the second floor and all but striped her.

Apparently, it was also standard to have a community shower. Nitya seemed to have no body insecurities whatsoever, as she stripped off her armor and tugged Abby into a massive, sunken shower. She had grabbed a jar of what smelled like a mix between ashes and pomegranate, and proceeded to slather it on Abby's back.

Abby blinked at her, too shocked to move for the first few seconds. Then, she let out a little squeak and scooted away from the muscular woman, who stared at her in confusion. Abby finally convinced Nitya she was fully capable of bathing herself. She quickly set about scrubbing herself in case the woman did not believe her.

Nitya had shrugged and grabbed a wide swath of thin fabric to tie around herself. She left Abby standing in the water that fell like a light rain from the ceiling. Abby doubted she had ever taken a faster shower. She scrubbed and rinsed, then repeated the action when Nitya shook her head.

"You must remove all of the scent," the blond had told her emphatically.

Abby was sure she had lost a couple layers of skin by the time Nitya was appeased. Climbing up the shower stairs hunched over to preserve a bit of her modesty, she snatched a towel and wrapped herself from head to toe. Nitya gave her an odd look, but did not comment.

The fabric wicked all the water from her skin in a matter of seconds. She was completely dry by the time Nitya lead her to a room attached to the bathing room. She had been thrilled to put on clothes until she saw the hunting outfit she was supposed to wear. It was about a dozen shades of green, the colors mottled to create a camouflage effect. She had no issue with the color, it was the fit that made her blush.

"It fits perfectly," Nitya said from behind her, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Perfectly. Abby cocked her head to the side, looking at herself in a mirror. The fabric looked like canvas, but was extremely soft and moved with her. It was also extremely fitted. It fit like spandex without feeling tight. Small favors. She turned her back to the mirror to check out the back view.

"It's a little…formfitting," she muttered.

No way was she letting the prince see her in something that put her shapely thighs and round hips on display. Not a chance. She caught movement from the corner of her eye and turned to see Nitya setting a pair of boots next to her. Oh, no. She could not actually leave the room.

"His Royal Highness had that made specifically for you."

The words jerked her out of her panic. She blinked at the woman.

"He did?"

Nitya nodded. "As is proper in these situations."

Abby was not sure what to make of her wording, but she looked back at her reflection. He had it made just for her. Now, she had to wear it. Maybe, he would not think she looked too bad. She set aside those thoughts before she talked herself out of leaving the room.

She stepped into the heavily treaded boots and gasped when they closed seamlessly.

Nitya smiled at her. "I'm sure the prince is ready to depart."

Abby nodded. As she followed Nitya from the room, she realized the prince was going to be dressed similar to herself. She tripped over nothing and had to stumble a few steps to regain her balance. Nitya looked at her with concern.

"Are you alright?"

Abby felt like her face was on fire. "Fine, fine. Just tripped."

The other woman nodded hesitantly, but continued down the hall. Abby tried to think of anything other than the prince in a fitted hunting suit. Nitya seemed to pick up on her mood, as she fell back to walk next to her.

"How do you like Ghadrik?"

"It's amazing," Abby said honestly.

She looked around the hallway as they walked. Even with her mind occupied on other things, she could not help but be drawn in by the sheer grandeur of the palace. The walls were a bright white material that looked like the ivory from Earth. Thin veins of gold metal ran through the material making it look more like marble.

"What is that," she finally asked, pointing to the wall.

Nitya followed her gesture and smiled. "Clay."

"Clay," Abby echoed.

"Yes. It is harvested near the mountains." Nitya glanced at her. "It is harder than the diamonds on your planet."

"Then how do you build with it?"

Nitya started to answer, when the prince stepped out of the doorway to their right. For a long moment, the three of them looked at each other. Abby could feel Nitya watching her reaction, but she could not draw her eyes away from the prince.

It was so much better than her imagination. His suit was similar to hers, but more gray than green, and it stretched tight across his chest, emphasizing the width of his shoulders. She knew she was staring, but nothing could keep her eyes from following the line of the suit down across his flat stomach and narrow hips.

She forced herself to skip over certain parts and took in his long muscular legs, before raising her eyes to his face. She blinked in surprise to see him examining her just as intensely. Immediately, she felt a blush rise to her face. She certainly did not look as good in her suit as he did in his. She shifted uncomfortably.

His eyes snapped to her face. She noticed he did not meet her gaze and, for some reason, it really bothered her. More than usual. She frowned.

"Your Highness."

He nodded his acknowledgement. "Miss Ashley."

She found herself needing to see his eyes, to check if they were as beautiful as she remembered.

"Not to be rude, but would you mind looking at me?"

He froze. "What?"

She was not sure what to make of his soft tone, so she reacted as she would to anyone else. She raised her chin and straightened her shoulders.

"Please, look at me when you're talking to me. It cuts out any confusion." It was not entirely true, but he did not need to know she had come to crave his gaze.

"You accept my gaze?"

There was something odd about the question, but in the next minute he looked at her and she forgot about it. His eyes were as startlingly aquamarine as she remembered. Beyond the beauty of the color, the sheer volume of emotion he put into the look nearly staggered her.

"Yes," she found herself saying, not sure what she was agreeing to exactly.

Nitya shifted and Abby tore her eyes away from the prince to look at her. The blond was smiling brightly at the two of them.

"I have something for you," the prince said, pulling her attention back to him.

He moved closer to her and held out a bundle wrapped in red leather-like material. It was about as long as her forearm and moderately heavy when she took it from him. There were at least a dozen laws against taking something from a member of a foreign government. She ignored them.

Carefully unwrapping the cloth, her eyes widened. A dagger, wicked sharp and jagged, glinted in the light spilling in the window behind her. It curved gently, the outer edge razor thin and the inner edge a line of backward facing teeth. The dagger came to a severe point, the weapon clearly intended for both slashing and mortally wounding opponents.

"Wow," she breathed, before she could bite it back.

She raised her eyes from the weapon to see the prince watching her closely. She offered him a small smile.

"It's beautiful. Thank you." She was sure she saw relief in his gaze, before he smiled politely.

"You are welcome, Miss Ashley."

Still gazing at the gift, she said, "Call me Abby."

He went still. "Truly?"

She glanced at him. "Of course."

She studied his face, trying to figure out what the thoughtful frown meant. After a moment, she mentally shrugged and began to attach her new gift to the belt around her waist. She was not surprised when the dagger fit into a slot on the left side of belt as if it were made for it.

"Are you ready," the prince asked, when she was finished.

She nodded. "Definitely."

He sent Nitya an unreadable look and she nodded, turning to face Abby.

"It was pleasant to spend time with you, Abby," she said formally.

Abby nodded. "You too, Nitya." Aside from the awkward shower part, she added mentally.

Nitya bowed to the prince and left down the hall that lead to the throne room. Once she was out of sight, the prince stepped closer to her, just out of reach. He looked down at her.

"Will you call me by my name, as well?"

She stared at him, her eyes moving over the strong jaw and sharp cheek bones, before meeting his gaze. She decided she would like to call him hers, but she would settle for his name.

"Edric."

She was sure she did not imagine the shiver that went through him. He smiled a moment later.

"Shall we?"

He held out his arm to her, placing his hand on hers when she accepted the invitation. They fell into a comfortable silence as they walked. He seemed to be in no hurry to release her when they reached the craft sitting on the front lawn. He pressed the panel to open the side of the enlil and helped her into the seat.

"So, where are we going?" she asked once they were airborne.

Edric tapped on a few glowing squares at the base of the window. The pattern seemed to be random, but she assumed the glyphs meant something.

"The plains south west of the city. I thought we may hunt sisu."

"That's the stuff that tastes like pork, right? See-soo?" She was sure her pronunciation was off, but the prince just smiled.

"Yes." He looked out the window to check their progress.

Already, they were approaching the outer edge of the city. The vast central courtyard was far behind them and only estates lay ahead. She wondered about the living arrangements.

"Do people get to choose to live in the city or country?" She assumed where they were was considered the country.

"It is mostly dependent on occupation," Edric answered, turning away from the window to look at her. "Desta, for example, is an armorer and arammu bonded. She and Roshan live outside the city where she can have a large personal shop, separate from the one she uses for her official duties."

Abby nodded. That made sense. She fell silent when the enlil began to slow. The plains stretched out in front of them, a carpet of green that went for about half a mile before butting up against the tree line. She could not contain her excited grin.

Edric opened the door the moment the craft landed, obviously sensing her need to explore. She let him help her from the enlil and spun in a slow circle. From the ground, the tree line seemed much closer. The forest was comprised of trees that made the sequoias of Earth seem like saplings. She stared in awe.

"Chibrum Forest," Edric said. "It's half the size of Texas."

"Wow. Your air must be really clean." She mentally smacked herself for the inane observation. "So, hunting?"

Edric gave her an amused look. "Yes, hunting. Though, you are correct about the air quality. There is a higher percentage of oxygen in the air on Ghadrik."

She smiled at him thankfully. Nice save. She tried not to watch when he turned around and bent to get their weapons from the second row seat. She failed. A part of her mind giggled as she admired the view. Too soon, he turned with two compound bows in his hands.

She immediately focused on the interesting weapons, her mind no longer on his gorgeous behind. She noticed one was visibly smaller than the other. She assumed that one was hers and reached out to take it.

"This is called an alal," Edric said, as he handed her the bow.

Her eyebrows shot up at the light weight. "It can't weigh more than a couple pounds."

He nodded. "Light, but strong. That is how all of our weapons are made."

"Nice." She saw him smile from the corner of her eye. "Show me?"

He nodded and took a strong stance, his legs shoulder width apart. Meeting her eyes for a moment, he grabbed an arrow from the quiver at his feet and notched it.

"There are a few differences between a Ghadrikan bow and what you have used in the past." He raised the bow to his left as he spoke. "The bow will move with you when you draw back your arrow."

He illustrated the point, by grasping the end of the arrow and pulling it back to near his right ear. He held the position and glanced at her. She was not admiring his biceps.

"Notice how the ends of the bow have drawn together?"

She focused on the weapon. "Yes." It was actually interesting how the ends of the bow almost formed a full circle.

"When you release the arrow, it will trigger a sensor and the bow will snap back into place." He demonstrated by casually releasing the arrow.

The arrow vanished from view.

"The effect is an arrow that travels over one thousand feet per second. Twice the speed of any bow on Earth."

"More like a bullet," she said thoughtfully.

He nodded and bent down to grab both quivers, holding one out to her. "Would you like to try?"

She watched him swing his own bag over his shoulder, fixing the strap across his chest. She quickly did the same with hers. It was odd to wear the quiver on her back, as every bow she had ever owned had a built on holder for the arrows. She rolled her shoulders to get used to the feeling.

Sensing his eyes on her, she pulled an arrow from the bag over her shoulder and notched it.

"Just let the bow do the work," he said softly.

She raised the bow, pulled back the string, and let go. The surge of power from the bow almost took her breath away. The moment she released the string, an electric jolt went through her body and she could almost feel the air splitting around the arrow. She turned to Edric with wide eyes.

"That was awesome."

…

Abby was remarkably good at tracking. That was the excuse he gave himself for watching her every move. The truth of the matter was that he could not take his eyes off her. It was more than the hunting attire, though that was very pleasing on her, it was the way she moved through the underbrush. As if she were already a part of his world.

She did not walk, but stalked between the trees. Eyes narrowed and head on a swivel, she split her attention between the tracks in the dirt and their surroundings. Every time he looked away to scan their surroundings, he found his eyes drifting back to her. The swing of her hips, her lush curves. He mentally shook himself.

They had been hunting for just over three hours, evidenced by the shadows growing beneath the trees. After Abby tracked and brought down the sisu and he returned it to a stasis chamber at the back of the enlil, she had asked for something more challenging. The nearby forest was seeming with small predators, so he agreed.

After he showed her the tracks they were seeking, she had taken over the hunt. If he thought of it too long he became extremely distracted. Even on a small game hunt, he had to maintain his focus. He glanced at her, again.

She suddenly stopped mid-step and hummed thoughtfully. After a moment, she glanced over her shoulder at him. He immediately moved to her side.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

"I'm not sure. A scuffle of some kind."

He stepped closer to look at the ground. The tracks of the niksum ended abruptly, as if the jackal-like creature had been snatched as it was fleeing. He knelt down to make out the shape of the larger tracks in the dirt. In the fading light it took him a moment to recognize the creature responsible for the niksum's fate. He inhaled sharply.

"We should stop for the day," he said, even as he scanned their immediate surroundings. He need to get Abby back to the enlil.

"What? Why?"

He had hoped to sound casual, but it was obvious from Abby's tone she sensed something was wrong. He answered her without taking his gaze off the nearby trees.

"An urbat has wandered down from the mountains. We need to get back to the enlil quickly and quietly."

He glanced over to see her staring at him with wide eyes. He gestured for her to follow him and let out a sigh of relief when she did not hesitate. They walked in silence for several minutes, before he sensed her inching closer to his right side.

A moment later, she whispered, "What's an urbat?"

He paused to listen to the forest. There was nothing but the sound of the wind in the trees. He urged her on.

"Think of a tiger mixed with a timber wolf and covered in thick, leathery hide."

She wrinkled her nose. "That would be one seriously ugly-" She broke off at the sound of a low growl.

He slowly pulled his hunting knife from his belt, reaching for Abby with the other hand. At any other time, his heart would have surged at the feel of her sliding her hand into his, but could not enjoy it with the urbat hunting them. He tugged her behind him.

She lay her palms flat against his back, moving with him as he turned in place. The growls stopped just as a branch snapped off to their left. He mentally calculated the distance to the enlil. It was too far. Unless, the urbat was distracted. He kept his gaze on the shadows, but gently nudged Abby with his elbow.

She leaned against his back, her cheek against his shoulder as she looked up at the side of his face.

"Do you remember where we left the enlil?"

She glanced around and nodded. "That way about half a mile."

He checked to make sure she gestured the right way and nodded. "I want you to wait for my signal and when I tell you to run, head for the enlil."

She stiffened. "No."

"Abigail." He sighed. "Abby, please."

"I'm not leaving you alone with some kind of dangerous creature thing. Not a-."

A low growl made her fall silent. He tried to take a step away from her, nudging her further behind him. She refused to move away. The sound of a knife leaving a sheath made him look over his shoulder. She held her dagger in her right hand, bow slung across her back.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm staying."

She started to say something else, when her eyes suddenly went wide. She grabbed his arm and jerked him toward her, the urbat landing where he had been seconds before. The creature paused to take in the situation and gave him a moment to back away.

The urbat was heavily muscled, its black and grey skin stretched tight over bone and sinew and splashed with the bloody remains of the niksum they had been hunting. Its large, black eyes moved from him to Abby and back, as if trying to gauge which one of them would be more of a challenge. It took a step toward him.

Abby made a sudden move and its attention was split between the two of them. Edric took a step closer to it, determined to keep its focus on him. The urbat's lips pulled back from its teeth a second before it turned and leapt at Abby. He did not have time to think past keeping it from reaching her.

Its bulk slammed into him hard enough to jar his bones and cause his teeth to clack together. He wrapped his arms around the creature as they fell, shoving his dagger between its ribs. It let out a loud roar and seized his shoulder in its powerful jaws. He felt something crunch.

Abby was yelling, but he could not make out her words past the sound of the urbat's snarls and growls. It pulled back from him and looked in Abby's direction. Abby yelled something belligerent and it growled low in its chest, stepping over him to move toward her. She continued to scream at it, nonsense insults and wordless noises.

It worked to distract it. Edric rolled onto his stomach and slashed at its back legs with his dagger. It let out a furious snarl and turned on him, again. No amount of yelling was going to distract it when it shoved him to the ground with a clawed paw on his injured shoulder. He stabbed at it wildly, blinded with the pain.

A blur moved past his left side and the weight was gone in an instant. Blood blurred his vision, but he thought he saw Abby drawing her bow. The urbat roared in pain off to his left, but he was too weak to move. Abby yelled something that sounded hateful and he raised his eyes to look at her. She was glaring to the left of him with a murderous look in her eyes.

She drew the bow and paused. A fierce smile crossed her face, as she let it fly. He heard it hit its target and the urbat let out a weak keen before falling silent. Abby let her arms drop to her sides, the bow tumbling to the ground. She seemed to sense his gaze, as she jerked her head around to stare at him.

Her face contorted into a pained grimace and she stumbled toward him, falling to her knees with her thighs pressed to his side. Her hands fluttered over his torso like frightened birds, clearly afraid of touching him for fear of causing him pain, but when she spoke her voice was steady.

"Where are you hurt?"

He blinked hard, trying to focus on her face. "Shoulders, ribs, left arm."

She nodded. "First aid kit?"

"Side compartment of your quiver," he said, wincing when tried to lift his head.

"Lay still, Edric." Abby murmured, as she dug through her bag. She quickly pulled out the medical kit and flipped open the lid. "Which one's the sanitizer?"

He coughed and rasped, "Blue bottle."

Without hesitation, she popped open the bottle and dumped a healthy portion on his shoulder. It felt like molten lava. He jerked violently, clamping his mouth closed to hold in a pained yell. He caught Abby's expression from the corner of his eye. She had gone pale.

"Why didn't you tell me-" she broke off, scowling to herself.

She pulled a cloth from the kit and began to wipe it around the wounds, careful to avoid the torn skin. He shuddered, as he felt his body start to heal, the muscles slowly drawing together. He had to warn her before she noticed.

"Abby." He was not surprised to hear his voice was already stronger than moments ago.

She glanced up at him, a worried frown on her face. "Am I hurting you?" She looked back down at him. "Stupid question. Of course, I am."

"Abby, I'm fine."

Her hands were shaking as she continued to gently clean the blood from his skin, but she let out a humorless laugh. "You're not fine, Edric."

For one breathless moment, he thought she would cry. "Abby…"

"I thought- I thought you were-" She swallowed hard and met his gaze. "I don't know what I would do if…"

He needed to hear her finished that thought. He needed it like he needed his next breath, but she simply stared at him. He felt his ribs knit together enough for him to chance moving. He slowly pushed himself upright with his good arm.

"What are you-" She watched him with wide eyes, as he sat up and braced his back against a tree. "How are you doing that?"

He clenched his left hand and rotated his arm. He was not sure what to make of her tone, but from the narrowed eyed look she was giving him, he felt an explanation was needed.

"Do you remember what Konani told you about the culinary staff I sent to your government?" He winced when a sudden movement pulled the newly healed skin of his left bicep. He saw her nod hesitantly.

"Yes. She said Ghadrikan food has regenerative…Oh." She looked him over. "So, you're healing already?"

"I have eaten a traditional Ghadrikan diet since birth. The effects are very strong."

She nodded and looked away. "Oh. That's good. I'm glad you're okay." He could sense her distancing herself from him.

"I'm sorry I worried you," he said carefully.

She nodded vaguely. "The president would be unhappy with me if you got hurt while I was here."

He mentally winced. He had thought she was concerned about him. When he focused back on her face, she was watching him closely.

"When you feel up to it, we should get back."

She waited for him to nod, before she rose to her feet and walked over to retrieve the bow she had dropped. She spent an inordinately long time looking over the weapon to damage.

"Abby?"

She turned her head toward him, but did not meet his gaze. "Yes?"

"I should have told you."

She shook her head, but did not answer. He watched her until he was able to move without pain. She was looking down and his need to know her thoughts was almost overwhelming. He started to call out to her and paused. She glanced at him.

"Ready?"

She was quiet all the way back to the enlil, only speaking to thank him when he helped her into the small craft. They sat together in silence, her clearly lost in her own thoughts and making no move to speak to him. He was not sure how to fix the situation. When the ship landed, he helped her out of the enlil and led her into the palace.

He knew better than to try and touch her. They were just outside the throne room, when she whirled to face him.

"I thought you were going to die."

He froze. "It was a possibility, but not likely."

She made a frustrated sound and he turned to face her.

"I was more concerned about your safety."

She shook her head, frowning. "I was worried about you. Really worried." Her voice dropped so low he had to lean in to hear her. "More worried than I should have been."

"Why?" he asked.

She looked at him. "What?"

"Why more than you should have been?" At her blank stare, he continued, "Because you are here in a professional capacity?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"I make no habit of risking my life for members of a foreign government."

What looked like hope mixed with her confusion. "Okay…"

"Never once did I consider my own welfare over yours. I was…worried for you. Far more than myself." He took a step closer to her. "Far more than I should have been."

As he watched, the thunderclouds cleared from her expression and her lips turned up into a small smile.

"More than you should have been?" He was sure he did not imagine the pleased note in her voice.

He returned her smile. "Far more."


	7. The Cold Sky

**Chapter Seven**

_**The Cold Sky**_

"_The weak in courage is strong in cunning."_

_-William Blake_

The living room was completely bare where she had been expecting to find a wreck of epic proportions. Abby wandered further into her apartment only to find the entire first floor had been cleaned out. While they were not her possessions, she still felt a little adrift at finding everything simply gone. A harsh knock on the door drew her back to the front of the apartment.

Agent Jackson stood in the doorway, letting himself in without permission. The small annoyance she felt at that faded in light of her empty home.

"Where is everything?"

His face gave nothing away, staying locked in his usual blank expression. "You are being moved."

Like she was furniture. She scowled. "Why?"

"Security." He glanced around. "Come with me."

She was left with no choice as the electricity in the apartment shut off seconds later, leaving her in darkness. She grumbled under her breath, but headed for the light pouring in the open door. Jackson stood just beyond the door, waiting to pull the door closed behind her. She watched him snap a padlock on the doorknob.

"You will be living with Ms. Johnson, until other arrangements can be made."

He rapped on Candace's door before she had a chance to argue. She stood silently as he explained the situation, watching the other woman's face for any sign of discontent. Candace did not look at all surprised. When Agent Jackson finished his spiel, she simply stepped aside and gestured for Abby to come in.

Abby noticed, she did not extend the invitation to the agent. With a 'goodnight' holding the bare minimum of politeness, Candace shut the front door firmly. Abby grinned, even as she looked around. She noticed the couch was made up with a sheet and pillow and glanced at the other woman.

Candace's brown eyes met her gaze for a moment. "I assumed this would happen. Go on, then." She motioned toward the sofa.

The couch turned out to be remarkably comfortable. She would almost say it was more comfortable than the bed the agents had placed in her apartment. She shook her head at herself. Not that the apartment was ever hers and a handful of days certainly did not make it home.

After a few hours of sleep on Candace's couch, she woke up to the smell of coffee wafting from the kitchen. She wandered toward it, still half asleep, to find Candace already dressed in a smart pantsuit and sitting at the small dining room table. She glanced up and gave her a quick once over.

"Coffee's over there." She went back to eating her toast.

Abby followed the smell of freshly ground coffee to the counter by the refrigerator. She filled the provided mug nearly to the rim, before adding a healthy dollop of cream and sugar. She smiled as the first sip passed her lips.

"Dunkin' Donuts," Candace said by way of explanation.

Abby nodded and sat across from her. "Do you always get up so early?"

Candace raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

Abby yawned and took a larger sip of coffee. "I hope you have a lot of this."

Candace gave her an amused look and continued to eat her toast. "There's cereal and toast in the cabinet. Juice and milk in the fridge."

Abby rose and helped herself to a large bowl of strawberry oatmeal, making pleased noises as she took her first bite. She looked up in time to see Candace hiding a smile behind her own coffee mug.

"Agent Jackson called."

Abby paused with the spoon halfway to her mouth. "And?"

Candace took a sip of her black coffee and watched her silently.

"What does he want, now?" Abby asked, not trying to hide her exasperation.

The other woman's lips twitched. "You are playing babysitter."

Abby's heart started beating faster. "To Ed- the prince?"

"No."

The excitement drained out of her. "Oh. Who then?"

"Someone named Lord Caern." Candace's nonchalant words did not match her intense gaze.

Abby frowned. "Do you know him?"

Candace took a sip of her coffee and shook her head. "No."

Abby was not sure why, but she knew the dark-skinned woman was hiding something. She put it out of her mind, as she considered the new assignment. Having met Caern, she had no interest in spending any length of time alone with him. She pushed her remaining oatmeal around with her spoon.

"Eat it before it congeals," Candace said.

Abby sighed. "I don't know what my job is, anymore."

Candace huffed in amusement.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence as they finished their breakfast. Too soon, Candace stood from the table and placed her dishes in the dishwasher. She gave Abby an expectant look. Abby glanced at the clock and sighed. The early mornings would kill her long before her job got the chance.

She followed Candace's example with her breakfast dishes and went over to retrieve her clothes and makeup from the closet.

"Twenty minutes," Candace said as Abby swept past.

She locked herself in the bathroom and all but threw herself into the shower, scrubbing quickly and stumbling out a few minutes later. As she dumped her makeup on the counter, she glanced at herself. There were dark circles under her gray eyes and her skin was even paler than usual. She plucked the concealer from the mound of makeup.

When she finished, she had five minutes to get dressed and downstairs. She gave her hair up as a lost cause and threw it into a quick French braid. Hopping on one foot, she struggled into her pantyhose and tugged the pencil skirt into place. She was still slipping into her suit jacket, as she headed down the stairs.

Candace shook her head but did not comment, other than to tell her the car had arrived to take them to work. Abby dutiful followed her out of the apartment to the black sedan parked outside. She was not surprised to see Agent Jackson waiting outside when they pulled up outside the White House.

He gave Candace a dismissive glance and gestured for Abby to follow him. She did not have to wait long before he started in on her.

"Report," he said, as soon as they entered his office.

She slowly sank into the chair across from his desk. "What do you want to know?"

"Weapons, military capabilities, population."

She fought to keep her face blank. "I went hunting. It wasn't a show and tell scenario."

Jackson's eyes narrowed. "Watch your tone, Ms. Ashley."

"Sorry, sir," she replied, not meaning a word of it.

He ignored her apology and settled behind his desk, pining her with a hard stare. "What weapons did you use?"

"Weapon," she corrected. "A bow."

"Functional?"

She could not hold back her smile. "Very."

"Tell me about the infrastructure."

She paused. "I only saw the capital."

"I am aware of that." He leaned forward over his desk to crowd her. "I asked you a question."

"Pyramids made of clay stronger than diamonds. Small antigravity aircrafts." She noticed Jackson's eyes narrow at the mention of the technology and could not banish the feeling she was betraying Edric.

"Anything else?"

Her mind immediately went Edric's miraculous healing. She shook her head. "Not that I can think of, sir."

He stared at her for a few seconds and she was sure he suspected her. She did not dare look away. After a moment, he broke eye contact to look down at his desk. She watched him flip open a plain manila folder and begin to read. He seemed to forget her presence, until she made to stand.

"I didn't say you could go."

She stiffened at the words. "I thought-"

"It would be best if you tried not to think too much, Ms. Ashley," he interrupted without looking at her.

Fuming, she sat back down and stared at him expectantly. After five minutes, he deigned to acknowledge her.

"Lord Caern is interested in learning more about humanity. You will be attending to him while he is here."

She bristled. No, she would not. "With all due respect-"

"I suggest you do not finish that sentence, human," a voice spoke from behind her.

She jerked her head around to look at the figure standing in the doorway. Caern was as imposing as the first time she saw him. He wore a blood red, floor length robe belted with what looked like the hide of some unfortunate animal. With his dusky green coloring it should have looked ridiculous, but it only seemed to bring out the black of his eyes and the white of his fangs.

Abby fought the urge to cringe away from him, when he casually strolled across the room to stand beside her chair. She was not sure if she was imagining it, but his presence seemed like a physical weight, crushing her into the seat. Her eyes drifted up to his face to see him looking at Agent Jackson.

She took advantage of his inattention to look him over closely. The hand closest to her held six fingers, the bones prominent and ending in curved claws. She swallowed hard. In opposition to his bony hands, his arms were thickly muscled and gave the impression he could do a great deal of damage.

"Ms. Ashley."

She turned her head to look at the agent. "Sir?"

His eyes flicked to Caern. "Lord Caern would like to see the city."

No way. She stared at him incredulously. "How…"

She was no expert in human nature, but she was pretty sure people were going to lose it if they saw a green guy walking down the street. She cleared her throat.

"Sir, I'm not sure that-"

Agent Jackson gestured sharply for her to be silent. "Lord Caern is capable of blending in with the population."

She started to argue, when she noticed something strange from the corner of her eye. She slowly turned her head to see the skin of Caern's hand smoothing out and lightening to tan. The claws thinned and shrank until they appeared like normal fingernails.

Her eyes rose up his arm to see his face. It was stranger's face, but appeared human. His eyes had turned a pleasant sky blue. She hated it. She had to look away to keep from scowling up at him. Jackson expected her to take an obviously hostile person into the capital city disguised as a human. She ground her teeth.

"You may go," Agent Jackson said, clearly dismissing her.

She stood without looking at either of them and stalked from the room. At that moment, she honestly could not care less about giving Caern a tour. She hoped he was not following her. Almost the second she had that thought, she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She whirled around.

"In a hurry, human?" Caern asked, derision in his tone and expression.

She narrowed her eyes. "Thought you may be eager to get started."

He obviously did not believe her, but he followed her to the same black sedan and sat beside her quietly as the driver took them to an unknown location. She had simply told him to take them somewhere touristy. Five minutes later, the car stopped outside a building. She could see the river just past it.

"The ferry," the driver said.

He expected her to go on a boat with Caern. She would not put it past the man to shove her overboard. Setting her face in a polite mask, she nodded to the driver when he opened the door.

"Thank you."

She looked around while Caern exited the car. She could see the signs for three embassies from where she stood. It seemed like a bad idea to allow the man too close to a foreign government. He seemed like the type to cause trouble. She gave him a tight smile and led the way toward the river.

The wide pedestrian walkway led through a shopping mall and she could not help slowing down when they passed a seafood restaurant. The oatmeal was not going to stay with her long. She steadfastly focused straight ahead and walked over to the booth for riverboat tours, only to mentally groan. The next ferry did not leave for an hour.

"It seems we will need to occupy ourselves."

She jumped at the sound of Caern's voice next to her ear. It was on the tip of her tongue to scream at him to get away from her. She took a deep breath to calm herself and pasted on a polite smile.

"Would you care for an early lunch?"

He glanced around and his eyes landed on the same restaurant she had been eyeing earlier. She did not like the look in his eyes when he turned back to her.

"My appetite lies elsewhere."

She was sure she had never disliked someone so much in her life.

"I think I'll go grab something. Will you be here?" She walked away without waiting for him to answer.

She told herself her rude behavior was excused in this one situation. She stepped in the large, brightly lit restaurant and was immediately led to a table near the window. She had just picked up her menu when Caern sat across from her. She ground her teeth.

"I changed my mind," he said, picking up the other menu.

She could feel his eyes on her. "How nice."

They did not speak until the waiter came by to collect their orders. Once the man left, Caern focused his full attention on her. She did not look away from the window until it became uncomfortable to ignore him any longer. She gave him a bland look.

"Yes?"

"You do not like me," Caern said pointblank.

She took a sip of her water and remained silent.

"You smell strongly of Ghadrikan," he said a few minutes later.

She nearly choked on her water. Coughing, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me?"

She noticed his human face took nothing away from his predatory stare.

"I said-"

"I heard you," she cut him off.

She started to say something more and thought better of it. She could not afford to lose her temper or her job. The return of the waiter saved her from apologizing. She started on her food before Caern could draw her into conversation. When she finished, she lay her fork across her plate and glanced over at him.

He was eating crab legs. Her eyes went wide when she realized what he had been quietly crunching. He was eating the shell. She quickly glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed. Aside from a disgruntled looking elderly couple, no one seemed to be paying them any attention.

"You're supposed to remove the shell," she said under her breath.

His eyes rose from his plate to meet hers, as he brought the crab leg to his mouth. He slowly opened his mouth, flashing his razor sharp teeth, and crunched into the shell.

…

sHe sat in the family dining room of the palace, sipping strong Ghadrikan asatta from a ceremonial goblet. His mother sat across from him, humor in her gaze. She had not said a word when he returned from Earth and immediately raided the liquor stores. She simply watched him pour their priceless three hundred year old asatta in a goblet older than the palace and went back to polishing her favorite dagger.

"How went the hunting trip, Your Majesty?" Limek asked as he strode into the room behind his mate.

Konani's gaze settled on him heavily and she raised an eyebrow when her eyes caught on the blood under his fingernails.

"Well, it would seem," she murmured.

Edric took a long drink. "She killed an urbat."

His mother paused in her polishing to look up at him. Her lips twitched.

"How interesting."

Konani drifted closer, her serious face alight with interest. "How?"

He started to answer when Nitya strolled into the room engaged in a quiet conversation with Desta. The dark-skinned woman was heavily armed, as she preferred to be when on their home planet. Her dark gaze moved from the blond at her side to fasten on him. A teasing glint entered her eyes.

"My mate tells me you came back to the palace bloody," she said smoothly.

She nodded to Nitya and the two woman moved toward the table. The four women watched him closely.

"An urbat interrupted our hunt. Abby killed it."

Konani dropped into a chair, the other two woman quickly following suit. He glanced from their eager faces to his mother's amused interest.

"What weapon did she use? The dagger?" Desta flashed a fierce smile at the thought.

He could not help imaging Abby among the group of women. The serious Konani, the fierce Desta, the cunning Nitya, and his mother, their warrior queen. His Abby would be the crowning jewel of the group. The picture was so clear it was painful to remember she was out of his reach on Earth. He drained his goblet.

"The bow you designed."

Desta preened. "She was pleased with it?"

He nodded. "Only two arrows to take down a fully grown male urbat." He caught his mother's raised eyebrows from the corner of his eye. "She was magnificent."

"A fine arammu," Queen Loreet said. She stood and slid her dagger into its sheath on her hip. "So, how do you intend to win her?"

It was the same question he had pondered since the moment he first saw her image and felt the pull of the bond. He had yet to come up with anything worthy of her. The dagger was the best he had found.

"A living place?" Nitya asked.

Konani shook her head. "She would have to abandon it when she became His Highness' arammu. Perhaps, a vehicle."

Edric considered it. She seemed to be at the mercy of others for her transportation. He wondered if she would consider a car to be a useful gift. He frowned.

"Weaponry," Desta said with a decisive nod.

He looked at each woman in turn. None of the ideas were quite right. He turned to his mother to see her smiling a secret smile.

"What does she favor?"

His mind immediately went to their conversations. One moment in particular. His lips slowly curved into a smile.

"You are a fountain of wisdom, my queen."

She gave him a small nod. "Indeed."

He bowed deeply, before turning to the women of his guard. "Gibil Konani, Gibil Nitya, Gibil Desta," he said, nodding to each woman in turn.

They bowed. "Your Majesty."

He took his leave, heading straight to the groundkeeper's quarters. The man would be awake, even at such a late hour. As he crossed the center courtyard, Edric glanced up at the second of three moons. From the position, he knew it would be the early hours of morning on Earth.

T'han answered after the third knock looking rumpled but wide awake. He smiled brightly, even as he fruitlessly tried to flatten his silver hair.

"Your Majesty." He bowed. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I have a request for you. It is of utmost importance."

He nodded. "I'll just get Adnan to watch the new blooms. One moment, please."

Edric waited in the open doorway, while the older man scurried down the hallway and ducked out of sight. Moments later, he returned with five other members of the horticultural team. They looked less than pleased to be awake until they caught sight of him.

"Your Majesty!"

He nodded to each of them, three men and two women, before he pinned T'han with a serious gaze.

"I need your proficiency with Earth flora." At the man's interested look, he elaborated. "We are planting a garden for my future arammu."

He paused and basked in the warmth he felt when referring to Abby as his mate. Before her visit, he had been unsure whether she would accept him. But in a matter of hours, she had acknowledged him as worthy of her, accepted his first courting gift, and showed both strength and fierceness.

"What type, Your Majesty?" T'han's question pulled him from his thoughts.

He smiled slightly. "My lady favors lilies." He saw the other's smile from the corner of his eye.

"We have some star lilies in the nursery," Aditi said thoughtfully.

He glanced at the petite brunette. "All varieties, both Ghadrikan and Earthian."

She nodded and gestured for two of the men to follow her down the hallway that lead to the gardens behind the palace. T'han smiled brightly once they were out of sight.

"They can meet us at the location." He paused. "I assume you intend it to be a surprise for the Gibil Abigail."

He gave the man a curt nod. "I do."

"Where shall I tell Aditi to meet us?" T'han asked, referring to his young apprentice.

"Gibil Abigail's dwelling."

When they reached Earth, the sky in the east was golden with the first light of day. T'han and his team glanced around the empty parking lot in fascination. Edric was not sure if he was relieved that Abby had already left for the day or upset that he would not be able to see her. He mentally shook himself and focused on the task at hand.

"I will speak to the owner," he tossed over his shoulder.

T'han was already directing his team toward the grassy area between Abby's building and the edge of the parking lot.

It was not difficult to find the manager of the buildings. The portly man opened the door with a towel around his neck, still wiping excess shaving cream from his face. His sour expression turned into mild interest when he saw Edric standing in the doorway, still dressed in Ghadrikan robes embossed with the royal seal.

His watery gaze gave Edric a quick once over and he stood up straighter. "What can I do for you, sir?"

Edric did not bother to correct the title. "I would like to buy a piece of your property."

The man's eyes shifted past him to the buildings beyond. "Which part?" he asked cautiously.

"The area in front of that building," he said smoothly, pointing to Abby's apartment.

"Why?"

Why, indeed. Edric pinned him with a hard stare. "Yes or no?"

"How much?"

Edric almost smiled. It was too easy. "I'll let you set the price. I need an answer now, as I have plans for the space."

The man cleared his throat awkwardly, but nodded. "Fifteen hundred."

He would have paid fifteen thousand, but he made a show of considering the price. After a moment, he nodded. "Done."

He left the man standing in the doorway in his bedclothes and returned to T'han's side. "It has been arranged."

T'han nodded. He gestured to Aditi, who had arrived while he was absent. "My honored apprentice has brought Star Lilies and Gisnu Lilies from the nursery, as well as several varieties grown in Gibil Abigail's home state."

Edric smiled at his thoroughness. "She will be pleased."

It took five hours to outline and plant the flower garden. Edric ignored T'han's surprised gasp when he rolled up his sleeves and began planting alongside his grounds team. It was warm and humid as the day went on and by the time the sun was directly overhead, his robes were sticking to his sweaty back.

Finally, it was done. The garden was a rainbow of colors. Pink, yellow, orange, blue, lilies of every size and variety. He was particularly pleased with the tiger lilies he had planted in the right corner closest to the building. He hoped the hardy, but beautiful flower would appeal to Abby. He was lead to believe they grew wild in her home state.

When the black vehicle pulled up in front Abby's apartment, they had just packed up. T'han and his team were on the way back to Ghadrik and only Edric and Aditi remained. She was standing at his side looking over the garden with narrowed eyes, clearly searching for anything out of place. It was common knowledge that a courting gift had to be perfect.

She had just raised her head to smile at him when the back door of the car opened and Abby stumbled out. He could not help the smile that curved his lips, but she was definitely not smiling. Her gaze moved from the car to his pleased expression, before fastening on Aditi. Her eyes narrowed.

She raised her head, still staring at the woman at his side, and stalked toward them. He was not sure what to make of her thunderous expression. He thought she would be pleased with the garden, but she had yet to look at it. As she came to stop in front of them, he recognized the emotion in her beautiful eyes. Possessiveness. He took a step away from Aditi and closer to Abby. Surely, she had to know he had no interest in another.

She gave him a barely there smile. "Your Highness. How nice to see you, again. And who is this?" Her eyes stayed on the other woman.

He noticed Aditi putting more space between them, obviously recognizing the warning in Abby's tone.

"Aditi is the apprentice to the royal groundskeeper," he answered, taking another step toward her.

Her eyes flicked to him. "Oh?"

The way her body radiated dominance made it difficult for him to keep his hands at his sides. "She was part of the team who planted this garden."

She seemed to notice the flowers all at once. Her eyes widened in shocked pleasure.

"Lilies," she breathed.

The hours of labor were worth it to see her face glow with happiness. Smiling widely, she wandered past him to look over the wide variety of blooms.

"There's so many," she murmured. "How did you-" she broke off and turned to face him. "Why?"

He took in her posture and expression and decided she was pleasantly surprised rather than suspicious. Good.

"You like lilies." It was not the whole truth, but he was not sure how she would react to the knowledge that he was courting her.

Her mouth opened and closed twice before she looked away from him to scan the garden. "So, you…"

"Do you like it?"

She huffed a laugh. "Like it? It's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me."

He intended to do far more. He would fill her life with beautiful moments, until she forgot what it was like before him. She suddenly met his gaze and he froze, wondering if he said his thoughts aloud. He let out a small sigh when she simply smiled.

"Thank you, Edric." As always, the sound of his name on her lips made him shiver pleasantly.

"My pleasure."

She cocked her head to the side. "Can I hug you?"

He choked at the question. He was not sure he could have her so close and keep his composure. After a moment, he braced himself and nodded. She took two large steps and slid her arms around his waist. It was not a passionate embrace, but the feel of her in his arms did strange things to his insides.

He ducked his head to press his face into her hair. Beneath the generic apple scent of her shampoo was something fresh and warm and strictly Abby. He inhaled deeply to memorize the scent and had to bite back a growl of pleasure. Her soft body fit against his perfectly, as if she was always meant to be in his arms. He let his fingertips brush the strands of hair that escaped her braid.

Too soon, she took a step back and looked up at him. "Thank you. Really."

She was close enough to kiss. The thought took root in his mind and would not let go. It was only the sound of an approaching car that allowed him to gain control of himself before he ravished her. He swallowed hard and watched her turn to face the parking lot. Her lips turned up into a smile when a scowling dark-skinned woman emerged from the backseat.

"Hey, Candace," she called.

The woman looked over at her and raised her eyebrows. "I'm surprised you survived the day."

With that cryptic statement she turned back to the car to speak to the driver. Edric frowned. He looked down at Abby's pinched expression and decided to save the questions for another time. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and visibly relaxed when she realized he was not going to interrogate her.

He looked back at the other woman to see her examining them as she walked toward the building. Her large, dark eyes moved from his proximity to Abby, to the silent Aditi, and finally the new garden. Her eyes widened slightly, then narrowed. There was something vaguely familiar about her.

She stopped a few feet in front of Abby and gave her a small smile, before she gave him a polite nod.

"Your Highness."

He wondered at the hint of humor in her tone. "A pleasure to meet you, Ms…"

"Johnson." He noticed she made no offer for him to call her by her first name.

"A pleasure, Ms. Johnson."

She simply nodded and glanced at Aditi. She raised one eyebrow. "Nice garden."

Aditi blinked in surprise beside him. "Thank you."

He noticed Abby watching the interaction. He was pleased to notice the edge of danger was no longer in her eyes when she looked at the smaller woman. After acknowledging the gardener, Candace turned her head to pin him with an unreadable look.

"Lilies," she said.

As it was not a question, he did not answer. Again, he saw a flash of amusement in her dark eyes. She turned back to Abby and sighed.

"I'm ordering in tonight." With that, she walked past them to the door on the left side of the building.

Abby was smiling when he looked back at her. "She grows on you."


	8. A Devious Shadow

**Chapter Eight**

_**A Devious Shadow**_

"_When truth is replaced by silence, the silence is a lie."_

-_Yevgeny Yevtushenko_

"Have a nice day," she called to Candace's retreating back.

The other woman waved over her shoulder without turning or slowing her pace. Abby watched her round the corner to ascend the stairs. After Edric left the day before, Candace had gone up to her bedroom. She had not come down for dinner, even though it was her idea to order in. Abby was not sure what to make of it.

When Abby tried to make conversation over breakfast, the other woman had given her one word answers or none at all. Abby shook her head and headed for Agent Jackson's office. Candace had insisted on coming to the White House earlier than usual, going so far as to call a taxi instead of waiting for the usual black sedan.

Agent Jackson would be thrilled to see her. She snorted under her breath and nodded to a guard who gave her a funny look. As she walked, her right hand drifted up to touch the lily tucked behind her ear. A bright orange tiger lily. She smiled at the feel of the cool petals under her fingertips.

The door to Jackson's office was still closed, not an odd sight, but as she approached she heard raised voices from within. She slowed and finally stopped a few feet from the door, glancing around. The hallway was empty aside from the guard leaning against the wall five doors down. He sent her a bored look.

She inched closer, casually leaning against the wall in a mirror of the guard's pose. If he cared about her actions, his blank expression did not show it. She sent the stoic man a small smile, as she focused on identifying the two voices speaking. The voices were low in pitch, one of them with a slight southern accent. The President, then.

That left Agent Jackson as the other speaker. No surprise. The conversation paused and a desk drawer slammed shut. The chair, the uncomfortable one in front of Jackson's desk, squeaked when the president sat. A throat cleared.

"It was supposed to be quick, the president said.

"Our information was incomplete, sir." The chair behind the desk squeaked, as if Jackson had shifted uncomfortably.

"What's the problem? You said he agreed to give us the antigravity tech in return for conjugal visits from his little girlfriend. I fail to see where the disconnect happened."

Jackson sighed. "She's not cooperating."

"How so?"

"She is participating in the courtship. I doubt she's intelligent enough to intentionally sabotage our efforts. It's, most likely, a case of a woman being charmed by the promise of a big payoff."

She was not sure who he was talking about, but she was offended on the woman's behalf. He made her sound like an idiot, at best. A gold digger, at worst.

"That's easy enough to fix. Don't allow her in the White House on days he will be here."

"It's not that simple, sir. Our intel on the bonding was incomplete. He will become violent if he suspects we are intentionally separating them."

"How would he know?" There was a brief silence. "What about the other?"

"Moved in with the woman from upstairs. She checks clean and she's been here for two years."

"Good. Any push back?"

"None."

"I want to continue to create the friction with the Dorn," the president muttered.

"Of course, sir. The tech they have supplied?"

The older man made a noncommittal sound. "Not as good as the scraps we get from the Ghadrikans, but…"

"Understood." Abby heard the faint shuffling of papers. "Our sources say the prince was at her apartment. He planted flowers."

Abby barely heard his derisive snort past the ringing in her ears. Her. They were talking about her. She froze. Her mind went back to the first time she met the prince in the president's office. His intense stare, the way his tone softened when he spoke to her. She felt her eyes widen.

Like a film reel, she saw each passion-filled glance he had sent her. The way he continued to meet with the president even though he clearly disliked the man. It was all for her. Warmth bloomed in her chest, as her lips curved.

"…will not hesitate to take her there against her will, if he suspects we are interfering in the bonding."

Her smile slipped.

"Our overseas sources say he was partially responsible for the terrorist cell on the Russia border."

"Reliable?"

"Very. The Dorn have a great deal invested in the conflict, but the Ghadrik helped to stir the pot, so to speak."

"Interesting."

Abby stared at the wall across from her, her smile gone.

"And does the girl know enough to pose a threat to security?" she heard the president ask.

Jackson scoffed. "She's only here as bait, sir."

The president hummed thoughtfully. "And what of Caern's interest in her?"

Papers shuffled. "According to the Dorn, the ambassador has a deep-seated hatred toward his father."

"And do you believe that explanation?"

Jackson paused. "Hatred has a way of motivating people."

"Where pure lust fails?"

"Exactly. We've had little success in loosening the prince's iron grip on his tech using the girl, alone. Perhaps, what we need is old-fashioned rivalry to urge him along."

"And the girl?" The president's tone was uncaring to the point of insulting.

Abby scowled at the wall. Waitressing was starting to sound really good.

"People go missing every day. Do you intend to actually give her to the ambassador?"

The president let out a short laugh. "No. She can distract him until our plans come to fruition, but I have no intention of allowing a U.S. citizen to shack up with an alien."

Abby inhaled sharply at the disrespectful description, before her eyes narrowed. If he thought he had any say in her actions, he had another thing coming. Both chairs squeaked as the conversation ended and the men stood.

"I have a meeting with Caern in ten minutes," the president said from just on the other side of the door.

Abby leapt away from the wall and turned to flee, only to come face to face with Lord Caern. Her breath caught in her chest, as she stared at him with wide eyes. His lipless mouth curved up into a dark smile.

"Abigail Ashley, listening at keyholes." His tongue slithered out and flicked in her direction. "How very common."

The door opened behind her, before he could say more, and his black eyes moved to take in the men behind her.

"Agent Jackson, President Anderson." His gaze moved back to Abby and swept her from head to toe. "I was just speaking to your secretary."

"Administrative assistant," she said, before she could stop herself.

Jackson cleared his throat. "You are early, Ms. Ashley. I hope you haven't been waiting long."

The two men stepped into the hallway and Jackson pulled his office door closed behind him. He gave Abby a hard look.

"Not really." She glanced at the president to see him watching her closely.

"She was most entertaining company during the wait," Lord Caern said.

She felt a surge of irritation at his obvious amusement, but she forced a smile. "I'm glad I could be of service."

"Thank you," Jackson said abruptly. "Now, if you would excuse us."

She was going to give him a piece of her mind one day. As it was, she gave him a tight smile. "Of course, sir."

The moment she was out of their sight, she let her calm façade fall. The confusion and anger she had been suppressing rose to the front of her mind and she felt herself scowling. As she walked past guards, they turned to stare at her. She ignored them and stalked to Candace's office.

"Can I talk to you?" she demanded, before the door even closed behind her.

Candace raised her head slowly and raised her eyebrows. "About what?"

"Men." She thought she saw Candace's lips twitch.

"Any man in particular?" She returned her gaze the paperwork on her desk, causally marking with a red pen.

"Several. What are you doing?"

Candace glanced at her. "You might as well sit down." She gestured to the chair next to her desk. It was far more comfortable that Jackson's. "New policies that need to be looked over."

"Thanks." Abby collapsed into the offered seat and frowned when her dress clothes made it impossible to slouch as she would like. "What policies?"

"White house staff relations with members of foreign governments." Candace raised her eyes to meet her gaze pointedly.

"That's part of what I wanted to talk about. Can-" she paused and stared at Candace hard. "Can I trust you?"

The other woman appeared thoughtful. "Depends on the information. I can't guarantee I will be impartial, but I will keep it to myself if that's what you're asking."

Abby nodded. "Okay." She took a deep breath and released it with a flood of words. "The president and Agent Jackson are playing the Dorn and Ghadrikans against each other to get military technology. Prince Edric thinks I am his Arammu, he is apparently courting me, and I'm being used as bait." She paused to glance at Candace's face.

The woman's eyebrows were hiding behind her bangs. "Oh."

"Right. And the president said Edric is helping terrorists." She noticed Candace's expression change at her causal use of the prince's first name. "And when I was on Ghadrik I saw countless examples of technology that our military would kill to have, but I didn't tell Jackson when he asked me. I don't know why, but it just didn't feel right."

"You have feelings for him, don't you?" Candace asked tonelessly.

Abby looked at her quickly, then away. "I think so, yes." She could feel the other woman's stare on the side of her face.

"You realize, by hiding information, you've committed treason."

Abby jerked her head to stare at Candace. "I-"

"And have probably given away information without realizing it. It could be a breach of security. You realize the ambassador is using you."

Abby paused. It did not sound right. "What reason could he possibly have for pretending to be interested in me?"

Candace sighed. "Abby."

"No, really. I mean, I know I'm not a great catch, but he seems to genuinely like me. So, what do I have to offer that is important enough to go through all this trouble?"

The other woman gave her a pitying look. "Think about it. How much do you know about him? Next to nothing, right?" At Abby's hesitant nod, she continued, "But you hid information about his world from your own country. What will you do for him once he romance's you a little?"

A sinking feeling in her stomach, Abby rose from her chair to pace. "But why me?"

"Maybe, you seem like an easy target."

That stung. Abby scowled, but did not argue. "The job was offered to me because…"

"Didn't you say you recognized the kitchen staff from where you worked before?"

Abby glanced at her. Had she mentioned that? "So? They told the prince I would be easy to sway and he made sure I got the job?"

Candace stared at her.

"That's…" She shook her head. Really messed up is what it was. "Do you think I should tell Jackson what I know about Ghadrik?"

"No." Candace shook her head. "What's done is done."

The answer did not sound quite right, but Abby nodded. "Alright. I think I'm going to go back to the apartment. I'm not really feeling today."

Candace, already focused back on her paperwork, nodded. "Sounds good. I'll be back around four." She glanced at the clock near the door. "I have a meeting in about twenty minutes. Will you be okay riding back alone?"

"I'm taking a cab. The silence creeps me out," she said, thinking about the government driver who barely ever spoke.

The older woman gave her a long look. "Be careful." The words came out with a strange cadence. When she spoke again, it was gone. "Don't pay more than twenty. The cabs like to price gouge."

"Got it." Abby started to turn away and paused. "Thanks. For not turning me in, I mean." She glanced at Candace to see she had paused in her work, her gaze on the desktop.

"You're welcome. I have to get back to work."

Abby took that as her cue and left the office, closing the door quietly behind her. She took the main stairs to the ground floor and shuffled into the crowd of tourists. She followed the group of elderly women out the north side of the building and down the driveway. None of the guards gave her a second look when she left the grounds through the North East gate.

She wandered down the tree lined sidewalk behind the chattering ladies, trying to ignore the pinch of her shoes. When they reached fifteenth street, she could not hold back a sigh of relief when a taxi sped by. She quickly separated from the rest of the group to walk the sidewalk beside The Treasury.

A cab pulled up only seconds later. The thirty-something in the driver's seat leaned over the center console to look out the passenger window at her.

"Need a ride? Look like your feet hurt."

She smiled and hurried over to duck into the backseat. "You have no idea."

The car began moving the moment the door closed.

"I'm Terry," the man said, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "Are you from D.C.?"

She shook her head. "A little further west."

"You been here long?" She noticed he was headed north in the direction of Candace's apartment.

"Not really. Do you want the address?" He made another correct turn.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just used to sightseers. Not really sure where they're going, you know?" He made a left turn and continued in the right direction.

"Oh. Yeah, that makes sense." She did not make eye contact. "I'm heading to the twenty-two hundred block of Decatur Place."

"Is that right?" He did not sound surprised. "We're already halfway there. I must be psychic or something, huh?"

"Or something," she muttered under her breath.

"You off work early today?"

She glanced at him to see him watching her in the rearview mirror. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't mean to the nosy, you just look like you dressed for work and it's the middle of the morning."

"Yes. Just had a few things to do."

He nodded thoughtfully and slowed down near the parking lot to the triplex. "Are we getting close?"

She kept her face carefully blank. "Turn right here." He was already following her directions before she finished her sentence.

"Here you go. It's ten."

The price was far too low, just compounding the impression that something was off. She forced a smile and popped open her door.

"Thank you for the ride, Terry." She pulled a folded twenty dollar bill from the small pocket of her dress pants. "Have a good one."

She walked to Candace's front door, feeling the weight of the man's stare on her while she retrieved the spare key and entered the apartment. The car was gone when she glanced out the front window.

…

"She has been in the Human Resources Department of the White House for two years."

Edric frowned, staring out the palace window with his back to the room. "And before that?"

Konani moved up to stand beside him. "What is this about, Your Highness?"

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Abby is sharing living space with her."

"Would you like me to look into her personal history?"

He considered it. "Abby would consider that an invasion of privacy."

"So, work history only?"

He smiled.

"I already made arrangements," she said returning his smile, with a sly grin of her own. "They are expecting you in half an hour."

"And who am I?"

"William Jones. You heard about Ms. Johnson from a mutual associate."

"Candace Johnson."

"Correct." She looked him over. "You should change."

He nodded. The robe would not fit the part he was to play. He excused himself and quickly changed into one of the suits he had made by an Italian designer. The expensive brand was useful when he needed to impress one of the humans. He smiled, as he straightened his tie.

Konani scanned him when he returned to the meeting room and nodded. "Very fitting. You are expected in ten minutes."

After a quick discussion, it was decided she would go as his assistant. He was to be the Human Resources Hiring Director of a major pharmaceutical company. Konani was playing the part of Jessica Davis, his personal assistant. The two of them left Ghadrik, arriving in the alley behind the building with two minutes to spare.

Edric led the way down the sidewalk, holding the door open for Konani to enter the lobby before him. She started to bow her head and aborted the movement, murmuring a quick 'thank you' instead. He followed her gaze to the counter where a perky, blond smiled at them.

"Hello and welcome to Kennet. Do you have an appointment?"

Still several yards from the counter, he cocked his head to the side. She was clearly very pleased with her job. He gave her a small smile.

"Yes. William Jones and Jessica Davis. We have an appointment with Richard Turner."

If possible, her smile got even wider. "Wonderful. I'll call up for you, William. May I call you William?"

The way her eyes flicked over him, made him think of Abby. She would not be pleased with this human. He raised his chin.

"Mr. Jones will be permissible."

Her smile wilted slightly, before returning. "Of course." She tapped a button on the phone on her desk and muttered a few words, nodding a couple times. "Okay, go on up."

He gave her a stiff nod. "Thank you."

He could feel Konani's amusement as they crossed the lobby to the elevators. She stood beside him silently, but he could see her smiling from the corner of his eye. He let her step into the elevator before him and she pushed the button for the fifteenth floor. The moment the doors closed behind them, she turned her head to look at him.

"Why did you not tell the girl about your Abby, the huntress?" She smirked. "I think they would get along well, don't you?"

He slowly turned his head to look at her. "No."

The thought of Abby seeing the way the girl had looked at him made him almost concerned for the blond. Just the thought of Abby sent a surge of warmth through him. He smiled to himself. His huntress. The opening of the doors drew him out of his thoughts.

A man sat at the counter just outside the elevator. He glanced up at them with a pleasant smile on his face.

"Mr. Jones and Ms. Davis?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful. Mr. Turner is expecting you." He stood from his chair and came around to the other side of the counter. "I'll show you to his office."

"Thank you," Konani said, as Edric nodded.

"My pleasure."

The man led them down a bright hallway, past several open doorways and a small lounge area, talking about the company as they walked. Edric glanced around as if he were interested.

"So, you're here about Candace Johnson?" At Edric's raised eyebrow, he continued. "Amy, the receptionist downstairs, told me. Candace is really great."

Edric gave him his full focus. "You worked with Ms. Johnson?"

The man nodded. "For almost two years. There's a few pictures of the old HR team on my desk, if you want to stop by on the way out." He smiled when Edric nodded. "Great. Well, here you are."

Edric followed his gaze to a closed set of double doors. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He knocked on the door, before he turned on his heel and left.

"Come in," a voice called from the other side of the door.

Konani gave him a meaningful look and he nodded. She pasted on a bright smile and pushed open the door.

"Sorry, we're late," he heard her say from inside the room.

"No problem at all."

He stepped through the doorway to see a middle aged man shaking Konani's hand. She glanced over her shoulder at him.

"I'm Jessica Davis and this is our Hiring Director, William Jones."

Edric stepped up to shake the man's hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Turner. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with us."

"I'm always happy to hear of one of our own going on to work for another great company. I understand Candace is being considered for Deputy Director?"

Edric nodded. That was the story they had decided on. "She is the best candidate, by far."

"Yes, she is definitely a bright star," the man agreed. "Please have a seat."

Edric sat in one of the two seats in front of Mr. Turner's desk, Konani taking the chair next to him. At his nod, she pulled a notepad from her small satchel.

"Would you mind telling me a bit about Ms. Johnson's work habits? She is very qualified, but in my experience it is always best to speak to a past employer to discover any possible personality conflicts."

The human nodded. "Of course, of course." He sat back in his chair and frowned thoughtfully. "I have only positive memories of Candace. She came to us from a job with the state, where she had glowing references."

"And before that," Edric asked, watching Konani take notes.

"Straight from university. She was great at her job, very efficient, and everyone liked her. She actually helped plan the company retreat the two years she worked here."

"Sounds like a valuable addition to our team," Edric said. Perhaps, his instincts were wrong. Maybe, Candace was exactly what she appeared. Nothing more sinister than a government employee.

"Definitely."

Edric smiled. "I think I've heard enough. I feel confident offering Ms. Johnson the position."

"Wonderful," Mr. Turner said with a sincere smile. "I'm glad I was able to help."

Edric stood, Konani at his left, and nodded. "You've set my mind at ease, sir. Enjoy the rest of your day."

"You, too."

Edric walked from the office, waiting for his advisor in the hallway. She exited the room seconds after him and raised her eyebrows. He shook his head and motioned for her to walk with him. Something still did not feel quite right, but he could not figure out what was nagging at him.

The desk next to the elevator came into view and the man glanced up at them.

"Hello, again. I hope your meeting went well."

Edric saw Konani nod from the corner of his eyes. "It did. You said you had a picture to show us?"

"Oh, right! It's right here." He reached over to retrieve a picture frame that was facing away from the room. "This is the HR team at the company retreat. Candace is right there on the left."

Edric took the picture from him and held it where Konani could have a clear view. After a moment, he frowned. There were less than twenty people in the photograph, but he did not see anyone who resembled Abby's reluctant roommate. He turned it to face the man.

"Where did you say?"

"On the far left, in the blue shirt." He came around the desk to point to a tall blond. "Candace Johnson."

Everything inside him froze. "Oh, I see. Thank you." He held the frame out to the man and turned away. "Have a nice day." He walked to the elevator, outwardly calm even though he seethed internally.

"Your Highness?" Konani asked when they had stepped onto the elevator.

He glanced at his advisor. "Yes?"

"How would you like to proceed?" She kept her face carefully blank.

He ground his teeth. "I'd rather not say."

His first thought was to confront the woman about her lies. She was living with his future Arammu and he had no idea where her alliances lie. She could be anyone, her history a complete unknown. He stepped off the elevator and forced himself to take measured steps across the lobby and out of the building.

Panicking would hardly help the situation, even though every fiber in his being called out for him to go to Abby. He paused in the alley behind the building and turned to face Konani. Her expression was blank, but he could see understanding in her eyes.

"I will await you in the meeting hall." She stepped into the portal without waiting for him to reply, both of them knowing his plans.

He took in a deep steadying breath. He would have to handle the situation with care. Abby's safety and happiness was at stake. He set his jaw and followed the alley to the next street over. A taxi pulled up the moment he stopped on the curb. He quickly slid into the backseat and gave the address of Candace's apartment, ignoring the driver's attempt at small talk.

Distracted by his own thoughts, the driver had to clear his throat when they arrived. He nodded his thanks and gave the man twice what he had asked. He stood on the sidewalk in front of the triplex for several minutes, simply staring at the building. The ride had not helped him to organize his mind.


	9. Hidden Cravings

**A/N: We're about to the halfway point. (Yay!) I'm planning to have the next chapter up by the middle of next week. Are you guys liking the story? Let me know if you have any questions, concerns, etc. Remember you can always contact me on Facebook & Twitter (info on my profile) and I'm always happy to hear from you. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

_**Hidden Cravings**_

"_A correct answer is like an affectionate kiss."_

_-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe_

"That sexy, no good jerk."

Abby prowled around the apartment muttering to herself, as she considered her options. Candace was, of course, correct about her actions. She had withheld vital information from her own government for a guy she barely knew. It was insane. She should quit, that is what she should do. She should remove herself from the White House and any potential for actions that could land her in prison.

She nodded to herself, even as her mind rebelled against the idea of not seeing Edric again. Letting out an annoyed huff, she flopped onto the couch. Her mother would be so disappointed in her. The thought rose with the usual surge of grief that accompanied any thoughts of her recently deceased parent.

"Should have stayed in Missouri."

Instead, she was sitting on a relative stranger's couch, talking to herself. She started to sprawl on the couch when someone rapped sharply of Candace's front door. She turned around to peer over the back of the couch. She should ignore it, it was not her house after all. The knocking came, again.

With a sigh, she rose from the sofa to glance out the front window. She inhaled sharply. It was Edric. He had some nerve. Eyes narrowed, she stalked over to the door and threw it open. She ignored the well-fitted suit and sexily tousled hair.

"Can I help you?"

His eyes widened slightly at her cool tone. Good. He glanced over her shoulder. "Is Ms. Johnson here?"

Oh, now he wanted something from her. She glared. "No."

Edric cocked his head to the side to study her and she told herself his attention was not pleasant in the slightest. "Are you alright?"

She snorted. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be? I'm fine."

He scanned her. "Are you sure?"

She settled both hands on her hips. "Did you need anything else, Your Highness?"

He visibly flinched at the use of his title. "I…" Again, his gaze went past her to scan the apartment. "What has happened, Abby?"

No, he did not. She raised her chin. "Ms. Ashley is more appropriate, I think."

His eyes narrowed. "Are you in danger?" he asked in a low voice.

She blinked at him. "What?"

"You are acting strangely and have not invited me in."

She had no intention of letting him in. He was a treason enabler. "I'm fine. Perfect. Never been better. If there's nothing else." She started to close the door on him.

His hand shot out to stop it. "Abigail. Please tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing is wrong," she grit out, as she leaned more of her weight on the door. It did not budge. "I'm fine. You can go."

"I'm not sure what I have done—"

She laughed humorlessly. "Right. Sure." She leaned all of her weight against the door and scowled when it had no effect. "Got all you need from me, so you're moving on to poor Candace. Yeah, that's about right."

She almost fell backwards when he suddenly stepped inside and let the door close with a bang. It was only his hands on her arms that kept her from crashing to the floor.

"What?"

She pulled away from him and frowned. "What what?"

"Repeat what you said just now."

"No." It was bad enough she had let it slip once.

"You believe I am using you." She was not sure what to make of his emotionless tone.

"Aren't you?" She moved further away from him. Of course, he was. Beautiful, lying man. She scowled out the window.

"Who told you that?" he demanded, taking a step toward her.

She glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "I asked you first."

"No." He moved into her personal space to frown down at her. "I would never."

She stared at him. He sounded so sincere. "What about the garden?"

He stared at her blankly. "What about it?"

She gestured vaguely. "Well, I mean, what about the hunting trip and the dagger and the flowers? Why?"

"I—" He looked away.

"Exactly. So, what do you want from me? You've probably gotten all the information I have on the White House. I'm just a nobody secretary—"

She gasped when he crowded into her space, gently placing one finger to her lips to shush her.

"Abby. I am not using you for information."

"Well, then—"

"Abigail."

She fell silent.

"I am…" he paused for a moment, his gaze caressing her face. "I am courting you."

She blinked. Impossible. "Why?"

He smiled slightly. "Because I love you, Abby."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

His eyes crinkled in amusement. "I love you."

There was no way. She took a step back. "You don't have to say that. If you want to date me, you can just say so. And if all you want is no strings attached—"

"Abigail," he cut her off sternly. "Please do not finish that thought."

"Well, I mean why else would you…" she motioned toward the window where the garden was visible. "And why me? You expect me to believe you just happened to take an interest in the president's secretary? Give me a break."

He watched her silently, a smile playing about his lips. "You think I am interested in you because you are his assistant?"

She frowned at his tone. He sounded far too amused. "Yes…"

His smile grew. "Abby." He shook his head. "You are the only reason I agreed to trade with this country."

"Wait, what?"

He ducked his head to press a soft kiss to her parted lips. "You. Just you."

She licked her lips when he retreated a few inches. "Let me get this straight. You are only in this country because of me."

He nodded.

"You are courting me."

He nodded, again.

"And you love me?"

He smiled and brushed her cheek with his fingertips. "Most assuredly."

She had heard more than enough. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. "We should do that kissing thing, again."

She felt him smile, as his lips hovered over hers. "I agree."

His lips were warm and slightly rough, as they brushed against her own. She found herself moving closer, moving her hand higher to slide her fingers through his thick hair. He shivered against her.

"Abby," he whispered reverently, his hands settling on her hips.

She smiled and nibbled on his bottom lip. She could not remember a time when kissing made her feel so powerful, so loved. She pressed harder against him, her softness evenly matched with his hard angles. It was not close enough. Breathing hard, he wrapped his long fingers around her thighs and lifted her to press more firmly against him.

She could not hold back her moan of pleasure. Much better. She crossed her ankles behind him and attacked his mouth with her own. His lips opened without a fight, letting her tongue gently graze his. His grip tightened. One arm wrapped around her waist to hold her in place while he raised his other hand to release her hair from the tight bun.

She shivered at the light scrape of his teeth on her bottom lip and pulled away to gasp for air. His fingers wound in her hair, nails lightly grazing her scalp just the way she liked, as he moved on to her neck. He left hot kisses down the column of her throat, pausing to meet her gaze. She stared back at him.

His lips were red and swollen, his pupils blown wide with passion. There was something raw and unfettered about the slow smile he gave her. She wondered if her own expression matched his. She thought it probably did. Her gaze wandered over his face and landed on his mouth. She licked her lips.

"We should probably stop," she muttered, leaning forward to press her lips to his again.

She felt him nod.

His hand left her hair to trail down her back. Oh, that was nice. She arched her back and he took the opportunity to lick the base of her throat.

"Seriously," she panted, wriggling to get closer to him.

His hand slid under the edge of her shirt and she moaned at the feel of his fingers stroking her bare skin.

"We could get into trouble," she breathed.

He hummed his agreement and kissed along the edge of her neckline. After brushing his lips to the base of her throat one more time, he pulled back enough to meet her gaze.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked her seriously.

She grabbed his head and pulled his lips to hers. "Of course not."

He chuckled. "Good."

Focused on the slide of his tongue against hers, she was vaguely aware of them moving. Seconds later, he settled on the sofa letting her sprawl across him. She looked down at him and grinned. His hair was a mess from her fingers running through it and his chest heaved, but his eyes were bright as he stared back at her.

The sound of keys rattling in the door broke the moment. She popped her head up over the back of the couch to watch Candace close the front door behind her. She was halfway out of her coat when she paused and glanced toward the couch. For a long moment, she seemed to take in her appearance. Then, she frowned.

"Hey, Candace."

The other woman's expression darkened further when Edric sat up and turned to face the door. "Abby?" Her gaze went back and forth between the two of them and Abby could see her conclusion. "What's going on? What is he doing here?"

Abby opened her mouth to answer and paused. Edric had not actually stated his reason for visiting. She glanced at him, but he was not looking at her. All trace of softness had faded from his gaze leaving it cold and calculating. He stared at Candace like she had done something deeply offensive. Abby raised her eyebrows.

"Well?" Candace asked sharply.

Edric grasped Abby's waist and gently set her aside. "I have a few questions for you, Ms. Johnson."

Abby's eyebrows climbed into her hairline at his tone. "What…"

Candace sent her an unreadable look, before glaring at Edric. "I don't remember inviting you to my house, Your Highness. I would appreciate it if you would leave."

Abby's mouth fell open at the outright hostility Candace was displaying. She had seen her act a little belligerent, but telling off a foreign diplomat was beyond rude. There was something off about the way the two were staring at each other.

"Is something going on?" Abby put her hands on her hips and frowned at the two of them. "Seriously. What's the deal?"

"Who are you?" Edric demanded, without looking away from Candace.

Abby frowned. "Candace Johnson. She works in HR at the White House. Why are you acting…" she trailed off, causing him to glance at her.

"No, she is not," Edric said darkly.

"I'm sorry? She's not what?" She saw Candace shift from the corner of her eye.

"She's not Candace Johnson."

Abby snorted. "What are you talking about? Of course, she is." She shook her head and turned to face the other woman. "Tell him, Candace."

Candace did not stop glaring at Edric. "For all intents and purposes I am Candace Johnson." Her voice took on a strange accent, the inflection a little off.

Abby narrowed her eyes. "And that means what, exactly?"

She did not answer, simply shrugging off her coat the rest of the way and hanging it in the closet just inside the front door. "I don't have to explain myself in my own house." Abby noticed the accent was absent.

"Are you allied with the Dorn?"

Candace whipped her head around to glare at Edric. "Of course not. They are foul, loathsome creatures."

Abby considered mentioning Edric's parentage, but thought better of it. "The president?" she asked instead.

Candace closed the closet door harder than necessary. "No."

"What proof do you have?" Edric asked, staring at her hard.

Candace's gaze moved from Edric to Abby. "What proof do you have? That you have her best interests at heart?" She gave him a humorless smile. "Exactly."

Abby crossed her arms over her chest. This conversation was going nowhere. She sighed to herself and stepped between the two of them.

"I think you should go, Edric."

His eyes flew to meet hers. "Abby." He looked at Candace. "I would rather not leave you here."

"With me," Candace finished sarcastically.

Edric tensed and gave the other woman a smile that looked more like a snarl. "Fine. I would rather she not stay with you."

Candace sneered.

Abby interrupted before they could get going again. "If she wanted to murder me, she would have done it already." She saw Candace smile slightly from the corner of her eye.

Edric winced. "I don't feel comfortable leaving you here alone, Abby."

She sighed. "I'll be fine. Whether her name is Candace or not, I doubt she's suddenly going to go berserk on me." She glanced at Candace to see her giving Edric a satisfied smile.

Edric returned her smug expression with a dark look. "I will be at the White House tomorrow," he said, as if it were a threat, before he turned back to Abby. "I will see you then."

She nodded. "I'll be there."

He looked pained, but he nodded. "Have a good evening." He bowed formally and walked to the door.

Abby raised her eyebrows. He could not think he was leaving like that. As he pulled open the door, she hurried across the room and pressed her palm flat against the door to push it closed. He slowly turned to face her, a question in his eyes.

"Forget something?" she murmured.

She rose onto her toes to brush her lips against his and felt the same sizzle of electricity she felt the first time. She smiled when his hands settled on her hips. It was only the loud clearing out Candace's throat that broke them apart. Her face felt hot when she pulled back to meet his gaze.

He slowly released her. "See you tomorrow," he whispered in her ear.

She nodded and watched him open the door and cross the threshold. She started to reply when Candace pushed the door shut firmly. She sighed. Nice. She raised one eyebrow at the other woman.

"Honestly?"

Candace flipped the lock on the door with a resounding click. "Yes."

"Whatever. He's gone, so what's the deal?"

The dark-skinned woman visibly sighed. "Wine?"

Abby shrugged. "Sure." She followed Candace into the kitchen and watched her open a bottle of a wine, pouring a healthy amount in each glass. "Well?" she asked when they were both seated at the small dining room table.

Candace sighed and took a gulp of her wine. "It's not what you think."

Abby snorted and took a sip of wine. "What is it, then?" She watched the woman drain her glass and pour a second.

"I knew your mother," Candace said after she drank half of the second glass of wine. Liquid courage, Abby assumed.

"No, you didn't."

Candace looked at her. "Excuse me?"

Abby sat straighter in her chair. "I'd never seen you before I started work at the White House. You did not know my mother."

Candace suddenly smiled ruefully. "You mean your adopted mother." She shook her head and took another gulp of wine. "No, I never had the pleasure."

Abby frowned at her. "Then…" she trailed off as the realization hit her. Her eyes widened. "My birth mother?"

"Can't even get drunk," she thought she heard Candace mutter to herself. "Yes. Your birth mother."

Abby slumped in her seat. "Oh."

Candace polished off her second glass of wine. "Exactly."

…

"Again!"

Five of his sparing guards attacked at once, the younger ones unaware of his speed in battle. He swung the practice sword in a wide arc, effortlessly knocking aside two of them. The remaining three, tossed aside their swords to bodily tackle him to the dirt floor. He heard the crowd cheering over the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears.

With a vicious right cross, he took down the guard closest to him. He let the other two drag him to the ground. One managed to get in a good hit, knuckles scraping his sharp cheekbone. He smiled fiercely and shifted his weight. The guard fell to his left and a hard strike to his ribs kept him down.

The only remaining guard leapt to his feet and circled him slowly. His opponent was young, only a few years past one hundred, but he made up for it with speed and agility. Unfortunately, Edric had experience on his side. He knelt on the ground until the mistake came. The guard came a bit too close and he surged forward to grab his leg, lifting him and slamming him to the ground.

The crowd roared their approval. It had been years since he had indulged in a good fight. It was only his concern over Abby that reminded him of its stress-relieving effect. He smiled and bent to help the guard to his feet, clasping the younger man on the shoulder.

"Well done, Thanin."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. It was an honor to spar with you."

Edric nodded. "Same to you. Help your fellows."

He watched the guard begin to help the others from the ground and smiled to himself. A good distraction. He turned to walk away and paused to stare at the figure standing to his mother's left. The smile faded from his face as if it had never been. His father, Gol, stared back at him.

Clenching his fists, he stalked through the crowd toward his mother's throne. He may hold no love for his father, but he could not disrespect his queen. He reached his parents and knelt in front of his mother, making it very obvious his deference was to her and not the man at her side.

"An entertaining fight, my son," Loreet said.

He raised his head to meet her gaze. "Thank you, my queen."

He slowly stood and nonchalantly wiped the blood from his forehead with the back of his hand. He could put it off no longer. Enough of the crowd was still present to witness his uncouth behavior if he shunned his father. He turned to face Gol and gave him a shallow bow.

"King Gol. It is interesting to see you here."

"Is it?" The man's aquamarine gaze fell on him heavily.

Edric did not bother to answer. He met the man's gaze for the first time in decades. His appearance had not changed. King Gol was tall even by Dorn standards, towering over Queen Loreet and Edric himself. His mixed heritage, half Dorn and half Ghadrikan, made his skin tan but rough as tree bark. Most of his features were Ghadrikan, but his teeth were the sharp fangs of the Dorn.

"As always," Edric finally answered. He turned back to his mother. "If you will excuse me?" At her nod, he turned and strode away.

The elation of the fight had faded and the appearance of his father only reminded him of Caern. One of the many dangers to his future mate. He looked around him when he reached the edge of the sporting grounds. Konani and Limek stood off to his right, the former watching him carefully.

"You did not discover the identity of the woman living with your arammu."

It was not a question, so he did not answer.

"Should I send guards?" Limek asked.

Edric paused. Abby would not appreciate him ignoring her request to have the evening to work things out with the woman calling herself Candace. He sighed, but shook his head.

"Any word of the Dorn plans?"

Limek's eyes smiled even thought his face did not. "And the Raena, as well."

Edric glanced at him. "What of them?"

The Raena, while seemingly fascinated by humanity, never involved themselves in Earth's affairs. Their technology was far advanced of anything the Ghadrik or Dorn could produce, but war was of no interest to them. They were an oddity, but a harmless one.

"They have increased their numbers on Earth. In the past month, their numbers have gone from one hundred thousand to nearly four million."

He frowned at Limek. "Why?"

"I am unsure, Your Majesty."

"I see. And what of the Dorn?"

"The uprising in Eastern Europe continues," Konani answered. "The Dorn have given the local rebels enough nuclear weaponry to destroy the continent."

Abby would not be pleased. "What is the Russian government doing about it?"

"The president has sent a small group into the bordering country, but with the weapons…"

"What has the queen said on the topic?"

Konani and Limek exchanged a meaningful look, before Limek answered. "The queen has washed her hands of this. She has stated that inciting war among the humans does not fall under breach of contract."

He nodded. Of course. He could see his father's influence all over the situation. If he did not know his mother so well, he would call her cowed.

"I see. And the identity of my future arammu has no bearing on her decision?"

Their silence was enough of an answer.

"Thank you. That will be all." He turned away before he took his anger out on his faithful guards.

The stones crunched under their feet, the sound slowly fading until he stood alone on the edge of the sporting grounds. There was nothing to be done about Caern's treachery, as long as he had the support of his king and an intact peace treaty. Edric clenched his fists until he felt something snap.

The sharp pain centered in the back of his hand, no doubt one of the metacarpals. He watched as a purple bruise crept across the skin slowly. In a matter of minutes, the discolored patch shrank and finally vanished all together. He grit his teeth, as the bone snapped back into alignment.

The stones crunched softly, fleet footsteps approaching from his right. He glanced over his shoulder to see Desta striding toward him with a pleased glint in her eye. She usually saved that particular grin for the death of her enemies. He turned to face her with a raised eyebrow.

"Gibil Desta," he acknowledged.

She dropped into a low bow. "Your Highness. It's finished."

He frowned in confusion.

"Your mate's armor," she clarified, her grin fading slightly. Her eyes took on a concerned edge. "Are you well?"

"Of course," he said. True, were he not consumed with his thoughts of Abby. He gave her a curt nod. "I would be pleased to see this work of yours."

The smile was back. "The enlil is just there." She turned away and he fell into step with her. "When will your mate be here, again? I would like to have her try the chest plate so I can make any necessary changes before she needs it for royal affairs."

He nodded, but his mind had caught on the mention of royal affairs. The thought of her at his side in armor that matched his own was enough to derail his thought processes. How beautiful his huntress would look in the golden metal.

"Your Highness?"

He blinked and realized Desta was already seated in the enlil, the door ajar as she waited for him to enter. She watched him enter the craft, but did not speak. The enlil rose the moment he closed the door. Clearly, she was eager to show him her creation.

Desta had started the work in secret once she saw the dagger he was offering to Abby. She had spent her nights in the royal armory with nothing but a hammer and anvil as company. The woman refused to speak of her progress, leaving her own mate, Roshan, as much in the dark as the rest of the guard. The quiet physician had seemed more amused by her behavior than concerned.

"Are you pleased with how it turned out?" He asked, as the enlil landed in front of a long, low building.

"Yes. I can only hope you are as pleased," she said. She let him help her from the craft and led the way into the royal armory.

The building smelled as he remembered. Hot metal and ash. The wall appeared to be aflame from the dozens of forges. Metal working being one of the few times Ghadrik used fire to heat. The lean woman wound her way between the half-finished projects with ease that came from daily repetition.

He paused next to a large metal sphere and called her back. "What is this?"

She turned to glance first at him, then the weapon currently being worked on by several armorers. She smirked.

"Duru."

He raised his eyebrows. The weapon his mother had designed. It would create an impenetrable barrier around itself. From what he understood, it was intended to be placed at a base camp or city center. He glanced at Desta.

"Is it functional?"

"Preliminary tests are positive."

"What of the litum?" His eyes strayed from her to scan the other projects.

Her smile became feral. "Complete and fully functional."

He considered asking her how she knew, but thought better of it. The device created flash black holes, lasting just long enough to swallow anything within several miles. Almost beautiful in its simplicity. It was the creation of his mother's lead scientific advisor.

"It's this way, just outside my office." When he raised an eyebrow, she smiled slightly. "It find it soothing to look at."

He gestured for her to lead the way. As they moved closer to the main forge, the air shimmered with the heat of the flames. He felt a bead of sweat roll down his spine before soaking into the fabric of his sparing pants. Off to his left, one of the junior armorers paused in her work to stare at him.

He frowned and looked down at himself. His bare chest was still splattered with blood from the fight, every inch of skin above his low slung pants covered in the crimson smears. The sight of blood should not be enough to draw such an avid gaze. As returned his gaze to the armorer, Desta appeared at his right. He looked at her in time to see her eyes narrow on the other woman.

"You would like to meet His Highness' arammu?" she asked in a low tone.

The junior armorer's eyes widened. She shook her head.

"Then, I suggest you continue your work."

The other woman's head dropped immediately. The interaction made very little sense to him, but the threat in Desta's tone was abundantly clear. He wondered when meeting Abby had become a threat. Desta gave him a quick nod and gestured toward her office.

"Shall we?"

He followed her to the doorway, the two of them pausing just outside long enough for her to point out the unassuming black box that was capable of generating black holes. It was no larger than his hand, but able to swallow a city. He smiled. How interesting.

"But better than the litum…" Desta trailed off and gave the door her voiceprint.

He followed her into the spacious, oval shaped room. The ceiling had been retracted over her work space to let the light glint off the armor on the stand in the center of the space. As he considered it, he moved closer. Desta stepped out of the way to lean against the wall and let him study her work.

It was made of the same gold metal as his own, light as cloth and nearly indestructible. He stopped a few feet away and took in the delicate details. Desta had laid hundreds of paper-thin layers in the mold to create the chest plate. The top most layer was inlaid with silver scrollwork. The loops and swirls over the left side formed a stylized capital 'A'.

He started to turn and praise his armorer when he realized Abby's first initial was interlocked with a bold 'E'. It was usual for a woman to have her own name of her armor, but to have her mate's was rare. He frowned. It would mark her as his, as much as he was hers.

"I think she will be pleased," his mother said from the direction of the door.

He turned to find her just inside the room, watching him. Thankfully, his father was absent. He bowed to her, as she approached.

"I apologize, my queen. I did not see you there."

She glanced at him. "I know."

"What brings you to the armory?" he asked, watching her circle the stand to look at Abby's armor from every angle.

She stopped where she began and answered without turning to look at him. "I heard a rumor that Abigail's dagger would soon have company."

He looked at Desta to see her frown in confusion. "Oh?"

His mother finally turned to look at him. She stared at him a moment, before she turned her head to regard the silent Desta.

"Please excuse us."

Desta bowed and walked swiftly from the room. The door closed behind her with a quiet thud.

He raised his eyebrows. "Company?"

His mother nodded. "I did not tell you before, because there never seemed to be a good time."

He stayed silent while she pulled the sword from the scabbard at her side. Her royal blade, the symbol of her rule, shone in the bright light. It wasn't until she turned the hilt to face him that he noticed the difference. Where it had been pure silver, gold had been added to match Abby's armor.

Edric frowned. "Why?"

Her lips quirked. "You are the only child of a Ghadrikan queen, my son. Who do you think will take the throne when I step down?"

"Step down?" He took a step toward her. "Is Gol forcing you—"

Loreet gestured sharply with one hand. "Your father makes me do nothing. I have simply been waiting for you to find an arammu of your own." She returned the sword to its scabbard. "And now you have."

"You would pass on the throne to a human?" It hurt to ask, but he had to know.

His mother sent him an amused look, seeming to read his mind with her next comment. "She is far more than a simple human. Or perhaps, we should spend more time in Earthly company."

He smiled. "Perhaps."

They turned together to look at Abby's armor. Loreet spoke after several minutes of silence.

"She will make a fine queen."

Edric smiled. "Yes."

"You should bring her soon." Something about her tone made him turn his head to look at her.

"Mother?"

She continued to stare at the armor, clearly deep in thought. "Your father is, at times, a mystery to me."

"How so?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"You believe many things about your father which are not true. He is not as you believe him to be."

Edric fought the urge to scoff. "So, he is not responsible for the actions of his second?" He shook his head. "He did not tell Caern to cause havoc and endanger my future arammu?"

His mother scowled at him. "Your tone is bordering on disrespect."

He gave her a curt nod. "My apologies, my queen. It is my concern that makes me brash."

She stared at him hard, as if weighing his sincerity. Finally, she nodded and looked back at the gleaming armor.

"Lord Caern has ceased to follow King Gol's orders." She pursed her lips. "As the humans would say, he has gone rogue."


	10. The Taking

**A/N: Okay, guys. We've reached the halfway point. Let me know if you want me to continue posting. **

**P.S.- Reviews are love. : )**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

_**The Taking**_

"Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."

-Kahlil Gibran

She woke suddenly, the last visages of her dream still clinging to her mind. Something about Edric. She stared up at the ceiling above her, a smile tugging at her lips at the thought of him. He loved her. The smile widened.

A quiet sound came from somewhere off to her right, the source hidden by the back of the couch. It was soft and raspy, like a shoe on the carpeted stairs. She frowned and began to sit up. The moment her eyes cleared the couch, they widened in alarm. Three shadowy figures stood just inside the door, another two quickly ascending the stairs.

Agent Jackson's men. It had to be. The figure closest to her turned to look in her direction. She tensed and, even though she could not see his eyes, she could see the moment he realized she was awake. The figure immediately rushed her, whispering fiercely in a language she could not understand.

Eyes wide, she sprang off the couch backing toward the closet under the stairs. She could clearly picture the dagger Edric had given her. Perfectly sharp and waiting. The figure continued to advance, voice rising as the other two people tried to cut off her route to the closest. A loud thud and scream drifted down the stairs.

Abby reached for the doorknob, jerking at the door a moment before a heavy weight slammed her sideways into the wall. She yelped at the burst of pain in her shoulder, but dropped to her knees to scramble for the blade. She closed her right hand around the hilt of the dagger and swung upwards blindly.

A man yelled in pain and she spun to face her attackers. One had fallen back, a hand pressed firmly to his midsection and she felt a twinge of satisfaction. The other two gave her no time to celebrate her small victory, rushing her at the same time. The first slammed into her, his muscled forearm forcing the air from her lungs as he pinned her to the wall.

She slashed with her dagger and the blade caught on the back of his thick shirt, sinking in a few inches before the other man grabbed her wrist and twisted. She heard something snap. A low, wounded cry spilled from her mouth before she could bite it back. She thrust her head forward to crash her forehead against that of the man in front of her.

He stumbled back a few feet, spewing what sounded like curses, and clutching at his face. Even in the darkness, she could see the splash of blood. She hoped she had broken his nose. The hand of her right arm twisted and agony screamed across her nerve endings. Her fingers went numb and the clang of the dagger on the hardwood floor sounded far away.

The first man lurched forward and she had a brief moment to see his closed fist heading for her face before her head snapped to the right. She gasped, pain blooming across her face at the same time the coppery taste of blood filled her mouth. The world spun, her eyes refusing to focus. She blinked hard.

The fist came again, this time to her left side. Her legs threatened to give out and it was only the pain in her wrist that kept her from collapsing. She wrenched away from the man holding her arm, sending a knee into his groin hard enough to bring him to his knees. As she spun away, a fist caught her in her lower back.

She stumbled forward a few steps, catching herself on the back of a dining room chair. She did not have time to take a full breath, before the man was back. One, two, three punches to her ribs. She thought she felt the bottom ribs on her left side crack, but she pushed back from the chair hard.

She used her momentum and body weight to drive her attacker back into the kitchen cabinets, throwing an elbow to catch him in his temple. He stumbled away from her, the same foreign curses on his lips. She wrapped her wounded right arm around her body, trying to breathe shallow as she lurched toward her fallen dagger.

She had just gotten her fingers around the hilt when the two men stampeded down the stairs, an unconscious Candace between them. At least she hoped she was only unconscious. The two seemed to notice the situation at the same time. They dropped Candace at the base of the stairs and started toward her.

The one she had kneed yelled something in a guttural language and the two men lunged for her at the same time. They slammed her to the wall, just barely avoiding her wild swings with the dagger. The cracked ribs gave away in an overwhelming burst of agony. Past the pain in her side and wrist, she barely felt the hand fisted in her hair.

The one on her left threw his weight against her broken ribs. She screamed in pain. He leaned forward to spit angry words in her face. She did not need to understand the language to know he was threatening her. When she just bared her teeth at him, he slammed his body into hers again. She bit her lip until it bled.

The hand in her hair tightened and jerked her head back to meet the wall. The world blurred into a mess of shadows and dark figures. The man yelled at her, threats or demands, she was not sure. Her head hit the wall twice more, before they dragged her away. She watched through slitted eyes, as one of the men stooped to pick up her dagger. Her present from Edric.

"Give me that!" she snarled, weakly lunging for him.

He swung his fist at her and she could not avoid it. The room flashed in and out of focus and she slumped to her knees. She was only vaguely aware of the arms that hooked under hers to jerk her to her feet. She swam in and out of consciousness. She caught a glimpse of the side of a cargo van, an unconscious and bound Candace, angry faces hovering over her as she lay curled on a hard surface. The world finally faded to blackness, her body giving out on her.

She woke slowly, unsure if hours or minutes had passed, and lay perfectly still. The air was filled with the smell of fuel and machine oil, so strong she felt the urge to gag. She focused past it. The mechanical roar of engines vibrated the cold metal floor beneath her.

From the queasiness of her stomach, she assumed the strikes to her head had caused a mild concussion. Perfect. She opened her eyes just wide enough to take in the space. A plane's cargo hold. That explained the smell and noise. Her eyes darted around to count the men around her.

Twelve, human if she was not mistaken. The Dorn could disguise themselves to fit in with the population, but she doubted they would have such a good grasp on human behaviors. The men seemed focused but relaxed, still clad in the same black uniforms they had been wearing when they broke in to Candace's apartment.

A few laughed and joked amongst themselves, ignoring the two women in their midst. The language sounded almost like Russian, but not quite. Something about the accent was off, the pronunciation a little different. Maybe, Ukrainian. Her eyes drifted from the men seated around her to the bound woman on her right.

Candace was slumped against the wall, her chin resting on her chest. Her hands lay in her lap, tied together with zip ties. What Abby could see of her face was unnaturally pale. If it weren't for the slow rise and fall of her chest, she would think the other woman were dead.

"Hey!"

One of the men rose from his chair and stomped toward her. It was too late to feign unconsciousness, so she opened her eyes fully and glared at him. He paused on her left side, a dark scowl on his face. She noticed he had fresh bruising under both of his eyes and a swollen, angry red nose.

"The forehead is the hardest part of the head," she said conversationally, remembering the crunch of his nose when she hit him.

He gave her a crooked smile. "Yeah?" His boot slammed into her broken ribs.

She clenched her jaw shut to muffle her scream. She would not give him the satisfaction.

One of the other men barked what sounded like an order and the man backed away.

She could barely breathe. Where the pain in her body had faded to a dull ache, it was again at full force. Every time her lungs expanded, agony speared through her side. She lay still and focused on breathing. Panic threatened to overwhelm her when she started coughing and could not stop.

Every time her lungs seized, it felt like her broken ribs were gouging into her organs. She rolled her head to the side to send the man a hateful glare. Coward would get his.

"You are Abigail Ashley." The man who had stopped her attacker rose from his seat. Her name sounded odd in his thick accent.

She him a look of pure loathing, but did not answer. She would tell these men nothing.

"Tyhrytsya," he murmured, moving toward her. "Fierce and troublesome."

She tried to move away from him and found she could not. Her broken wrist was bound to her other arm with a zip tie and any movement sent shooting pains up her right arm. She considered it a blessing that the actual area of her injury was numb. She raised her eyes again to find the man standing over her.

"What do you want?" she spat, pulling her legs closer to her body. The grind of her ribs made her throat tighten, but she continued to glare up at him defiantly.

"You are work for the President of America. True?"

"What do you want?" she asked, refusing to play along.

He sighed and shook his head. "Why so not answer? You want to be hurt?" He knelt at her side and reached for her. She flinched, but he only moved the hair away from her face.

"Who hired you? Where are we going? What have you done to Can—"

He struck her hard across the face. "Answer question. You are Abigail Ashley?"

She felt blood dribble from the corner of her mouth and narrowed her eyes. "If you don't stop hitting me, so help me God—"

He laughed, a low, rasping sound and grabbed a handful of her hair. "You give threats?" She heard several of the others chuckle, but she could not turn her head to look. "You do nothing. Answer question."

"Yes," she snarled. "Now let go of me."

His lips curved into a mocking smile, pulling at the small scar on his right cheek. He gave her a long look, but finally shoved her away. "Long trip to Kharkiv."

So, they were Ukrainian. She tucked that information away for when she escaped. She watched him walk back to his seat and sit.

He stared at her intently. "Sleep."

She started to tell him off, when the man to her left lunged. She got a glimpse of a dirty rag in his hand before his full body weight hit her. The two of them slid across the metal floor, the roughness scraping her back painfully. He grabbed a handful of her hair and tried to press the rag to her face with the other.

She twisted and struggled until she got a knee between them to shove him away. He hit the wall hard and bounced back, a snarl on his lips. He growled under his breath and she watched two more men stand to approach. She managed to get her legs under her and stood, wobbling with the cold floor under her bare feet.

"Do not fight," the one who seemed to be the leader said.

Over her dead body. She crouched and watched the three men exchange silent looks. With a signal only they seemed to understand, all three leapt at her. She hit the floor flat on her back, the wind leaving her lungs in a single burst. One of the men laid across her midsection, as another pinned her legs down.

Her arms were all but useless, trapped under the man lying on her. She could only watch with wide eyes as the third man knelt by her head and pressed the rag to her face. Immediately, a sickeningly sweet scent overwhelmed her and she gagged. Chloroform. She jerked her head to the side and gasped for air.

Between the weight on her and the ribs scraping her lungs, she began to feel light-headed. She blinked several times to clear her vision. The man acted while she was distracted, holding her head in place by her hair and pressing the rag to her mouth and nose hard enough to remind her of the bruises on her face.

She held her breath, forcing herself to stay calm. The man seemed to realize what she was doing after a few seconds and shouted something. The man lying on her shifted and suddenly his weight was pressed into her ribs. She sucked in a deep breath and screamed. She felt the chloroform hit her the same time something gave internally.

Her limbs tingled strangely, quickly going numb and she drew in another deep breath to wail. The sound of the plane engine began to fade in and out, as if she were repeatedly submerging her head under water. It finally fell silent and the weight on her body vanished the same time her vision grayed out.

…

He straightened his tie. The guards stationed outside the door to the Oval Office shifted nervously. Their eyes continuously scanned his party as if waiting for a sudden outburst. He glanced at Desta. The attention is obviously making her nervous. The fingers of her right hand twitched, clearly itching to find her dagger. She finally crossed her arms across her chest to still the movement.

"Your Highness," Konani murmured from his right.

"What is there to hide?" he asked in Ghadrikan. His eyes tracked the nervous shuffling of the White House guards.

"I have not seen the human, Jackson."

He nodded. "Nor have I."

"Shall I see what has occupied him?" Desta asked, her gaze still fastened on the humans nearby. Edric noticed the one closest to her began to squirm under the scrutiny. Desta smirked.

He had not seen Abby, either. "Quietly."

Her smile widened. "Of course." She turned her head to send the two humans a dangerous smile, before striding down the hallway and out of sight.

He was not sure it was a good idea to allow her to wander freely about the seat of Abby's government, but he had little choice. The atmosphere put his instincts on edge. Something was very wrong. The human, Jackson, had never missed a chance to taunt him. That he was absent to meet them for a scheduled meeting was alarming.

He allowed his eyes to wander, skimming the prim furnishings to land on an antique clock. The president was already ten minutes late. The man was a conniving worm, but he was always punctual. That, if nothing else, assured him that his feelings of foreboding were not to be ignored.

As he turned to interrogate the guards, the president hurried around the corner. Edric watched him closely. His hair was ruffled and his suit was wrinkled. Dark circles marked the skin beneath his eyes and his gaze flicked to everything but Edric's own.

He gestured for Edric to proceed him into the office, barely slowing his pace. Edric raised his eyebrow at Limek. The other man frowned and nodded. He would check into the situation. Edric gave him a curt nod and strode into the Oval Office. The president immediately closed the door behind them.

"The White House seems…tense," Edric said, as he casually strolled to the table against the wall. He poured himself a glass of water and took a sip.

The president walked around his desk and sat, before answering. "In house issues. Nothing to be concerned about, Your Highness."

Edric glanced at him. "Oh? May I be of assistance?"

The man visibly tensed. "No. It's all under control."

"Ah." He released the man from his gaze and set the glass down to walk the perimeter of the room. "The pressures of authority." He paused a few feet from the man's desk and looked him straight in the eye. "Where is Ms. Ashley?"

The president broke his gaze. "On an assignment, as I understand it."

"Ah." He turned to face the window, taking a causal stance with his hands behind his back. "And Agent Jackson?"

"The same assignment, I'm afraid. I'm sure Ms. Ashley will be able to see you for our meeting next week."

There would be no meeting next week, unless he saw her today. He slowly turned his head to look at the man. "That was not our arrangement."

"I apologize, but plans change."

Edric's eyes narrowed. "Not these. We had a very specific arrangement."

"As I said—"

"We both know you are trading with the Dorn."

The man's mouth clamped shut.

"However, we also know the Dorn weapons are inferior to that of Ghadrik. So I ask again, where is Abigail Ashley?"

"She's not on the grounds." The man paused and Edric saw him take a steadying breath. "She has been acting as an ambassador of sorts."

"Explain," Edric snapped.

"Caern asked for her specifically—"

Edric leaned forward to place both hands on the desk, looming over the other man. "You are allowing Caern near her?"

The man simply stared at him. Surely, he could not be so ignorant. Caern could not find out who Abby was to him. Edric gave the president a tight smile.

"Perhaps, deskwork would be more appropriate in the future."

The other man nodded. He opened his mouth to reply, when the door slammed open. Edric jerked his head around to see a seething Desta in the doorway. Her chest heaved and she sent the president a lethal glare.

"Hey!" a voice called from out of sight. "You can't just—"

Desta's hand lashed out and struck the speaker. Her free hand went to the dagger on her belt. "Test me, human."

"Desta," Limek said in a low warning tone.

For the first time in memory, Desta ignored him and stalked into the room. "The humans are lying, Your Highness."

Edric turned his head to look at the pale president. "Do tell."

"Ab—Ms. Ashley is missing."

Edric froze.

Desta continued, not noticing his reaction as she focused all her anger on the president and the guards who were spilling into the room. "I went by the dwelling she shares with the other woman. Furniture has been destroyed and overturned, there is blood on the floor and one wall. A battle clearly took place."

Edric could feel his hands shaking, but he could not seem to stop it. Desta's words burned through his mind and he slowly straightened his spine.

"And Ms. Ashley?"

Desta shook her head.

"There is nothing to be concerned about," Agent Jackson suddenly spoke.

Edric turned to look at him. "Are you calling Ms. Ashley nothing?"

"I hardly think—"

"Very true," Edric cut him off. "I suggest you think very hard about what you say to me in the next few minutes. Now, where is Abigail Ashley?"

Jackson exchanged looks with the president. "I'm sorry, that is on a need to know basis. While you say you have an invested interest in Ms. Ashely, you are still a member of a foreign government. Therefore—"

"May I kill him?" Desta growled in Ghadrikan.

It was tempting. "No. Not until I know all of the information he knows," he replied in kind, giving Jackson a tight smile.

The man could not understand his words, but he noticed the tone and took a step back. "I am not at liberty to discuss—"

Edric spun to face the president. "Where is she?"

The man's gaze moved from him to the agent and back. "Your Highness, I understand your concern—"

"You understand nothing," Edric said.

The man clearly did realize the gravity of the situation. He would happily kill every person in the building if it meant getting answers about Abby's whereabouts. He let a bit of his thoughts bleed into his expression and internally smirked as the president's face paled.

"When was she taken and by who?"

The man shifted in his chair. "We're not sure."

He was lying. Edric could almost smell the man's nervous sweat. "Then, when was she taken?"

The president sent Jackson a significant look.

"Between three and five o'clock this morning," the agent replied.

Edric fought the urge to close his eyes. While he slept in his lonely bed, Abby was being stolen from her own. He should have been there. He should have sent a few guards. The guilt threatened to overwhelm him and he choked on it. Wrapped up in his inner thoughts, it took him a moment to realize the agent was still speaking.

"The majority of the blood does not belong to Ms. Ashley."

"How much of it does?" Konani stepped into the office and pinned Jackson with a cold look. "How badly is she wounded?"

The agent's gaze flicked to the president and Edric saw him nod from the corner of his eye. "A small amount on one wall and a few drops in the kitchen. She appears to have struggled, wounding several of her attackers. We found blood from three other people."

Edric stomach rolled. Three against one. His beautiful huntress had tried to fight them off, but ultimately been stolen from her home. In his mind's eye, he saw the fierce expression she had worn in the forest. Even her strength could not hold up in such a one sided battle.

"Who has done this?" he asked softly, his voice shaking with the force of his rage.

For a long moment, no one spoke. Jackson finally broke the tense silence.

"We suspect someone became aware of your interest in Ms. Ashley."

So, it was to be his fault. Edric smiled, more a baring of the teeth. "I see."

"Maybe, you should speak to your father," the agent muttered.

Edric's eyes flashed. "And then, maybe, I should come back and speak to you."

"Your Highness—" the president started.

"I've heard enough," Edric cut him off. "I assumed we had an agreement, but clearly I was incorrect. I was foolish to entrust Ms. Ashley's safety to you and your company. It seems I severely overestimated your abilities. That was my mistake."

"We cannot be held responsible for unforeseen circumstances," the president said with a scowl. "Ms. Ashley is an American citizen, just like any other. If she is being held by an organization hostile to our country, we will go through the appropriate channels."

Edric could not help it. He laughed. It was a dark, ominous sound even to his own ears. "You humans amuse me. No one is at fault, yet Abigail Ashley is not here. You say she is just like every other citizen, but you forget one very important fact. She is mine."

Jackson scowled. "She is not an exception to our government policy. The United States does not negotiate with terrorists."

They had not seen terror. He turned to face the president and gave the wide-eyed man a cold smile. "I hold you personally responsible for any unforeseen circumstances that befall Abigail Ashley. I do not care about your foreign policy and I do not care about a single person who works in this building. You will do all in your power, and beyond it, to get Ms. Ashley back safely."

The man stared at him for a moment before he puffed up importantly. "Are you threatening me, Ambassador?"

Edric cocked his head to the side. "I would not call it a threat. It is merely a promise of retribution. Take my words however you like."

He turned away before the man could answer. He had nothing else Edric cared to hear. He stalked past all of the human guards, ignoring the wide-eyed looks he received. They were intelligent enough to stay out of his way. Already, the urge to partake in widespread destruction threatened to overwhelm him.

Abby was gone. He had no way of knowing where she was or in what state. She could be grievously injured. At the thought, he stopped in the middle of the hallway. She could be suffering alone, at the mercy of those who had taken her. His hands curled into fists at his sides.

"Your Majesty?"

He whirled around to face his guards and took in their hard expressions. They were not the enemy. He forced himself to nod his acknowledgement to Konani who had spoken.

"Do we attack?"

It took him a moment to realize she meant the White House. He shook his head. Abby would not want the seat of her government destroyed. He would grant them temporary mercy.

"We will pay King Gol a visit," he said darkly.

He would not put it past his father to use subterfuge to get his way. The man had to know Loreet's plans for Abby. They had no secrets from each other. It would be the worst kind of deception if King Gol sabotaged his mate's plans. Edric turned away from his guards to lead the way to the portal.

He wanted to get as far away from the White House as possible. Another moment and he may lose his fight with himself, rending the building and its inhabitants until nothing was left untouched. He walked into the portal and stepped onto Ghadrik with his expressionless mask firmly in place.


End file.
